Anna Prokos is a well-known book author of more than 40 books, who lives in North Arlington, New Jersey and has presented a 32-page children’s book , The Lucky Egg, which details Easter Traditions of the Greek Orthodox religion, that of Easter.
Prokos has published The Lucky Cake in the past, in which a young boy named Billy learns about his family’s traditions.
“The Lucky Egg was easier to write, because the characters were already developed, and the reader had established a relationship with Billy and his family,” said Prokos.
“I thought to write The Lucky Year, next in the sequence for The Lucky Cake. Then my computer went in for service and everything, five years worth of work on it, got wiped out. I needed a backup idea. I had mental block, so devastated by the loss of my work, so I couldn’t start again. Then while at a book signing for the Lucky Cake, people were asking for another book about Billy.”
Prokos started writing The Lucky Egg in January 2013. “I pictured my childhood during Greek Easter and today’s traditions, which are not as Greek.” She added: “People definitely don’t do the 40-day fast as much, but they do fast, omitting animal products, for a week before Easter.”
In her book, Prokos describes the main Greek Easter traditions. “I talk about the red eggs, so that is the main part of the story. The red egg symbolizes Jesus’ blood,” she says and notes about the cracking of eggs: “This symbolizes the cracking open of Jesus’ tomb. I felt it important to educate the kids on why we do this before we say, hristos anesti, which means Christ has risen.”
The book is full of explanations of the traditions meaning, combined with a sense of humor and games: “It focuses on religious culture without being overtly religious. It’s more kid-friendly, and illustrations make it fun. There are directions on dyeing eggs red and how to do the tsougrisma.”
“It is wonderful to look at all these traditions because it allows children to experience all religions,” Prokos told the South Jersey News.
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