Today we are excited to share a guest post from author Maisha Oso (It’s Almost Time for . . .Easter! ).
Read on for more about the author, the book, and what she has to say!
Meet the Author: Maisha Oso
Maisha Oso is the author of picture books Buster the Bully, My Hair Is a Book, Before the Ships, and the It’s Almost Time For… series, as well as the Venus Washington chapter book series. She writes stories to empower, entertain, and encourage emotional intelligence in young children. A former strategy and analytics professional from New York City, Maisha is currently working in her most challenging role to date: a stay-at-home mom of three tiny humans. Visit her at MaishaOso.com.
About the Book: It’s Almost Time for . . .Easter!
It’s almost time for Easter, and excitement is running high! It might not be here yet, but there’s so much to do before the joyful day arrives…
From decorating and dyeing eggs in pastel hues, flaunting the most fabulous and fancy outfit, and diving into a basket filled with bunny-delivered goodies, there are endless ways to celebrate! But not everyone can read the signs of the highly anticipated holiday on the way…
It’s Almost Time for…Easter! is a perfect blend of festive fun and read-aloud magic that will have young readers laughing and identifying the misunderstanding at play before the characters catch on. This picture book makes a delightful gift for kids aged four to eight!
Amazon * B&N * IndieBound
~ Guest Post ~
The Wonder in the Waiting: Not Missing the Magic in the Journey
By Maisha Oso
Almost is a feeling that teens know all too well. You’re almost finished with school, almost independent, almost grown, but not quite yet. As a teenager, I spent so much time thinking about what my life would look like once I had a car, or once I was out of my parents’ house, or once I had that flashy job making so much money I could buy whatever I wanted (still waiting on that job), that I often failed to live in the present. I spent so much time waiting for things to change that I missed the magic of the moment I was already in.
Waiting itself isn’t the problem. The problem is when waiting convinces us that our lives are on pause until something changes.
And to be fair, it makes sense why teens spend so much time waiting. The teenage years are tough. They’re filled with pressure to be perfect, to know your purpose, to have everything figured out. In school and sports, we’re taught to value outcomes over process. That easy A is praised more than the hard-fought B. The first-place medal is celebrated more than the quiet growth it took to finally learn a new skill. It’s no wonder we’re always focused on getting to the finish line. But when the finish line becomes the only thing that matters, it’s easy to miss the growth, the self-discovery, the magic that happens along the way.
Now, when I talk about magic, I’m not talking about card tricks or disappearing bunnies (although both would be pretty dope). I’m talking about anticipation. The kind that makes ordinary days feel full of possibility. Take a moment and think back to when you were a small child. Remember the days leading up to a vacation, the last day of school, or the countdown to your birthday. Back then, waiting felt exciting. It was filled with imagination and wonder. The magic lived in the planning, the dreaming, and the journey, long before the big day came.
That idea sits at the heart of my It’s Almost Time For… picture book series, which focuses on the days leading up to a holiday rather than the holiday itself. In It’s Almost Time for… Easter, the child prepares for the big day by boiling and coloring eggs, going on an egg hunt, and baking treats. Yes, Easter is still coming. But the joy isn’t postponed until the morning arrives. It’s found in the moments leading up to it. The waiting becomes part of the celebration.
Teen life doesn’t always allow for that kind of joyful anticipation. Waiting can feel heavy when it’s accompanied by expectations, stress, and comparison. But even then, the journey matters. Growth happens quietly. We’re still becoming ourselves even when it doesn’t feel clear yet, even before everything clicks into place.
So, while you’re still in “The Almost”, try to remember this. Yes, you will still have to wait. The pressure, expectations, and uncertainty won’t magically disappear. But there is magic in the waiting, too, if you let yourself notice it. Because self-discovery, growth, and resilience are far more powerful than any card trick I’ve ever seen.
Title: It’s Almost Time for . . .Easter!
Author: Maisha Oso
Illustrator: Tom Knight
Release Date: 1/20/26
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Genre: Picture Book
Age Range: 4-8
