The Donkey's Tale

 The Donkey's Tale
Illustrated by Sarah Connor
Copyright 2013
Format: Boardbook
Status: Unavailable. I am unable to find any copies currently available, but there may be rare version that come up for sale at ebay or in thrift stores.
Conclusion: Keep if you have it (don't bother to seek it out otherwise)




I originally saw this book at one of the local dollar stores. I am always excited about adding new Bible stories to our library, especially if it is one we don't already have. This book, though, seemed like it had some problems. Despite the fact that it was only a dollar, I put it back and refused to purchase it. For about a year, I saw copies of the book available the dollar stores, then they disappeared, and I still hadn't purchased one.  I finally found one at a thrift store, took the time to read through it more thoroughly, and decided that it was probably fine after all.

The story itself describes the original palm Sunday, where Jesus enters Jerusalem on a donkey while people cheer and wave palm leaves. The reason I initially rejected this book is because it seemed like the book was entirely focused on the donkey and that Jesus was barely mentioned.  However, once I had a chance to read it more thoroughly instead of just flipping through it quickly, I changed my mind. Yes, the donkey is the main figure in the story, but Jesus is there too and none of the facts are actually wrong.  The story is just written from a different perspective than I would prefer.

The Good Points:
  • This book follows the Bible.
  • It has short simple sentences and is easy for young kids to understand.
  • Every pages has bumps and textures for kids to feel as you read.
  • The illustrations are bright and colorful.
The Discrepancies:
  • It doesn't mention or show the people laying their cloaks on the streets.
  • Most of the story focuses on the donkey instead of Jesus, though the parts about Jesus are true to the Bible.
Overall, there's nothing really wrong with the book.  It's not a book I would recommend seeking out, but if you have it, feel free to keep it. It's harmless and fun for little kids. It also tells a less common story from the Bible, and I haven't come across any other versions (though there certainly might be some out there), so having this one is probably better than nothing.



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