“Evie’s Evangelical Easter” by Jesenia Harbin Martinez

Evie’s Evangelical Easter

Jesenia Harbin Martinez
Independently Published (2026)
ISBN: 979-8882575495
Reviewed by Rachel Dehning for Reader Views (09/2026)

While it’s only September, and people are preparing for cooler weather and possibly the next big holiday, it’s never too early to get your mind and heart prepared for the spring, and more specifically, for Easter. Evie’s Evangelical Easter by Jesenia Harbin Martinez is a must-read (or listen) for young ones, including those young at heart, during the Easter season, and honestly, year-round. It combines the true meaning of Easter through an imaginative retelling with the common activity of hide-and-seek with Easter eggs.

Evie is a young bunny who is hopping along and notices a man praying and interacting with some children; she doesn’t understand it, but she notices that she’s feeling happy and giddy at his sight and when she thinks about him. She leaves for a moment to gather wild carrots and strawberries to give him, but when she’s back at the original spot where she saw him, he’s gone. Evie feels disappointed and unsure what to do when she hears God’s voice, telling her that the man was Jesus, his Son, the Messiah and Savior of the world, and that he is giving her the task to continue searching for Him and, along the way, tell others what she witnessed. During this journey, she meets new friends who share her excitement and help her continue finding each new location where Jesus has been spotted. Evie participates alongside the Easter story as she searches for Jesus and learns to navigate her new self with new faith and hope in God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.

I enjoy how this story is written at a child’s level, giving them access to one of the most important events in existence (alongside the Christmas story). Choosing animals as main characters was smart; they are always big hits with young readers, and they view these characters as entertaining and relatable. The main points of the Easter story are included, but Palm Sunday, the Last Supper, and detailed descriptions of the crucifixion aren’t discussed. Readers can “fact-check” the information through selected Bible verses included every couple of pages from the New Testament that pertain to the relevant material happening in the story, showing and proving how it connects to the story and the readers’ lives.

The central concept of the Biblical Easter story- that Jesus died and rose again, that he beat death, and that believing in him includes salvation for each believer to make it to heaven- is evident and seen as the purpose of the book. The animated illustrations complement the text, showing it as enjoyable, relatable, and understandable for young readers. The author includes a short “Salvation prayer” for the reader to review and possibly pray, along with encouragement to take the text to heart and try to find a church to visit and participate in while absorbing God’s love and gospel.

Even though this story is geared more toward younger readers, I appreciated, and did not find surprising, that the message comes out clearly even to me as an adult. The concept of the story got me interested in the Easter egg hunts, and going down that “rabbit hole” was fascinating.