For Immediate Release
Office of the First Lady
April 1, 2002

Mrs. Bush Reads to Children at Easter Egg Roll

MRS. BUSH: Good morning, everybody.

AUDIENCE: Good morning!

MRS. BUSH: How are you? Thanks for such a big, big crowd showing up. I don't know if you can see this book very well, there's so many of you. Can you see it? Great. This is called Tom Rabbit and it's written by somebody called Martin Waddell. And guess what Tom Rabbit is, can you tell? But what kind? He's a stuffed animal. He's somebody's toy. Any of you all have a stuffed animal like this? Nobody? Do you have a teddy bear? Well, this is kind of like that. This is a rabbit instead of a teddy bear.

(Reading): "One summer evening, Tom Rabbit and Sammy went out to the back field to look for real rabbits. Tom Rabbit and Sammy climbed up on the wall. 'We can see the whole world from here,' Sammy said to Tom Rabbit. 'I'm happy with Sammy,' thought Tom Rabbit." Can you see them looking at the whole world from the wall?

(Reading): "Then Harry came by the back field with the cows and Sammy ran off to help Harry. Tom Rabbit was left all alone on the wall. 'Sammy won't be gone long,' Tom Rabbit thought." See how Tom Rabbit is left all by himself on the well, because Sammy went off? Do you think Sammy's going to forget Tom?

(Reading): "Mom called Sammy in for supper, and Sammy went into the house. 'I hope Sammy comes back,' thought Tom Rabbit. The sun set on the field and the moon rose. 'I've never seen that before,' said Tom Rabbit." See poor old Tom Rabbit, he got left out on the wall by himself, didn't he? Do you feel sad for him?

(Reading): "And then, from the bank at the end of the lane, the wild rabbits camefirst one, and then two, and then three, and then four and then more." See all the wild rabbits, the real rabbits, that came? Did Sammy get to see them though? But who did? Tom Rabbit got to see them.

(Reading): "Wild rabbits were there, everywhereeverywhere that Tom Rabbit could see. 'I wish Sammy were here,' said Tom Rabbit." Have you ever seen any wild rabbits? (Inaudible)

(Reading): "A rabbit hopped up on the wall. It quivered its nose at Tom Rabbit. 'It's only a rabbit the same as I am,' thought Tom Rabbit. 'I'm not scared. I'm not scared one bit.'" See the real rabbit and Tom Rabbit?

(Reading): "The light went on in Sammy's room. Tom Rabbit saw it shine over the field. 'Sammy won't go to bed without me!' Tom Rabbit thought. 'Sammy can't go to bed without me,' Tom Rabbit thought." Is Sammy going go to bed without him? (Laughs). We have divided opinions on it. Would you get up and go get your stuffed animal? Yeah, sure.

(Reading): "The light went out in Sammy's bedroom. 'Sammy's gone to bed without me,' thought Tom Rabbit. 'I'm all alone.' And that's when" What happened?

(Reading): "Sammy came back to get Tom Rabbit. 'I'm sorry I left you, Tom Rabbit,' said Sammy. And he carried Tom Rabbit back home." (Laughs) Did you like this one? I'm not finished! (laughter)

(Reading): "Tom Rabbit and Sammy got into bed. 'Good night, Sammy," said Mom. 'And good night, Tom Rabbit.' 'Good night, Mom,' said Sammy. 'I'm happy with Sammy,' thought Tom Rabbit, and he snuggled down safe in bed right beside Sammy." Did you like that one? Did anybody get a rabbit like Tom yesterday in your Easter basket? No Are there some -- Wow! Those are so pretty. Thanks, thank you very much. Those are beautiful. Thanks a lot. Thank you.

CHILD: And I also got a picture for you.

MRS. BUSH: Good. Thank you for the picture. Has every body been doing all their work? Did you do that special thing? You did? What kind of bunny? He got a bunny yesterday (laughs). Did you all see the little coloring card? Have you been coloring on it? (Laughter) Oh, thank you! That's so sweet. You did? A real bunny? Oh, you all are so nice to bring me cards. You got a fish? Good, great. What? You what? You have a stuffed bunny? What do you have? Oh, good. Great. Well, I'm glad you were here to listen to it. Thanks. Let me see if I can give these to somebody over here. Thank you. Thanks. You know what one of my friends told me they do for Easter? They pick grass out of the yard and they put the grass on the back porch and then the Easter Bunny comes and leaves some eggs in the grass. Have you ever heard of that? Ok, goodbye everybody! Happy Easter! Oh, pink boots. Those are so cute. Pink cowboy boots. Are they comfortable? Pink cowgirl boots.