Friday, September 23, 2016

One Small Donkey by Dandi Daisy Mackall Illustrated by Marta Alvarez Miguens





Christmas stories come in many forms. 
Some follow Mary and Joseph, others look through the eyes of a  human storyteller, while still others explore the animals point of view. 

In One Small Donkey, Dandi Mackall chooses a  humble donkey to be her storyteller. 
I really enjoyed the narrative itself. The nativity story was well portrayed while still weaving in an equally strong message regarding the importance of each person (or in this case, donkey) in God's greater story. 
The story itself would be easily welcomed by kids ages 4-8.

Readers may find (and it was my only complaint) that the actual flow of the story feels choppy and jarring, especially when read aloud. 
While the content is great (and  even taught me something through some quick google confirmation, who knew it snowed in Israel? I definitely need to brush up on my geography) the rhyme and meter fell short. 


On the flip side, the artwork in  this book is some of the most stunning I've seen in a children's book this year. In fact, I found myself needing to reread the story after  I realized  I had become so engrossed in the pictures I had missed  parts of the  narrative.  This artwork is a huge bonus for a family like ours as our pre-verbal kidlet is as equally drawn into the story as his older sibling.

While the rhyme and flow may be a deterrent for some, One Small Donkey still provides a solid Christmas story with  illustrations that go above and beyond in their beauty and attention to details.
4 out of 5 stars.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers <http://booklookbloggers.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.