The Ox And The Donkey

The Ox and the Donkey

From Publishers WeeklyBrouwer (the Mars Diaries series) tenderly re-weaves a post-Nativity holiday legend. Frantic Mouse alerts his stablemates that their owners Man, Woman and the Child (Mary, Joseph and Jesus) must flee Jerusalem and Herod's threat of death. Donkey, Dog, Cat and Mouse vow to accompany and protect the family but scoff when Little Spider expresses a similar desire. Little Spider stows away in Donkey's mane and, in a dramatic denouement, gives the Child a unique, if humble gift, essentially saving Him from death. Hartung's shadowy, textured watercolors set an appropriate nighttime backdrop for the tale. Ages 5-8. (Oct.)performed by Christian recording artist Cindy Morgan (Brouwer's wife).Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.The ox and the donkey lived together in a stable in the little town of Bethlehem. But they were not friends. The ox bullied the gentle donkey, greedily gobbling up most of the hay and refusing to cuddle near to share his warmth. Then one cold winter night, a Child is born in their stable, and miraculously the ox is transformed into a kind and generous companion. Loek Koopmans's lovely, reverent pictures illuminate this sweet story about a small, but satisfying Christmas miracle.From School Library JournalK-Gr 2-A lazy ox is greedy and wild, so a gentle donkey does the work for both of them and the ox eats more than his share of food. The situation changes one night when Mary and Joseph come to the rundown stable in which the animals live. Their kindness brings comfort and love to the lowly donkey and transforms the ox into a decent, caring animal. When the baby Jesus is born, the creatures take turns trying to keep him warm. Peace prevails and honor is bestowed to the donkey when the innkeeper offers its services to escort the Holy Family to Egypt. This retelling of the Nativity is well suited for young children. The text is straightforward and easy to understand. The subtle watercolor illustrations are bathed in star- and lamplight and glow with an inner sense of tranquility.-I. A.Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.From BooklistAges 4-8. There's a touch of a Cinderella miracle in this picture book about the animals that live in the stable where Christ is born. The stable is cold, drafty, and wet, and the sad donkey is mistreated by the rude, greedy ox. Then one night Joseph the carpenter and Mary come into the stable, and their baby is born. The donkey keeps the baby warm with his breath, Joseph repairs the leaky roof, and the ox shares his food, learns to care for the baby, and snuggles up with the donkey in the hay. The donkey carries Mary and the baby Jesus to Egypt ("No path was too rocky, no hill too steep for him"), but he returns home to his friend. The quiet words, translated from the German, are beautifully extended by the soft, glowing blue-toned watercolors that show the strong, loving, outcast Holy Family and the animals in a world transformed. Hazel RochmanCopyright