Petook is a snowy white rooster and proud of his wife's new brood of chicks, and quick to protect them from an intruding young stranger named Jesus walking through the garden. But when he sees the child kneeling in wonder and caressing his newborn chicks, Petook is soothed and crows happily.

Years later, Petook, whose home is in sight of Calvary's hill, is awaiting another hatching and becomes strangely agitated when he sees men being lifted onto crosses there. He doesn't know that one of the men being crucified is the same boy who visited Petook's family long ago.

But three days later on Easter morning, as a new brood of chicks hatches that coincides with the Resurrection of the stranger, Petook is inspired to crow with great joy, celebrating the mystery of new life.

Caryll Houselander's artful storytelling and Tomie dePaola's delightful illustrations will invite young readers to enter into a relationship with the One who longs to care for us all.

Author: Tomie dePaola, Caryll Houselander
Binding Type: Hardcover
Publisher: Magnificat-Ignatius
Published: 03/08/2021
Pages: 32
Weight: 0.79lbs
Size: 10.40h x 8.70w x 0.40d
ISBN: 9781621644576
Audience: Ages 9-12

Accelerated Reader:
Reading Level: 4.7
Point Value: 0.5
Interest Level: Lower Grade
Quiz #/Name: 29243 / Petook: An Easter Story

About the Author

Tomie dePaola was best known for his books for children. He had written and/or illustrated over 270 books. He received numerous awards and honors, including Caldecott Honor and Newbery Honor awards, the Children's Literature Legacy Award (called the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award until June, 2018) for "substantial and lasting contribution to literature for children", the Smithson Medal from the Smithsonian Institution, and the Regina Medal from the Catholic Library Association. Nearly 25 million copies of his books have been sold.

Caryll Houselander, a mid-twentieth-century artist and writer, wrote many popular religious books for both adults and children.