Only a Donkey by Celeste Walters illustrated by Patricia Mullins

 

The animals of the farm treat the small donkey with contempt. Donkey dreams about a journey to a special place - a place of magic. When he sets off the next morning the farm animals follow him but their harsh words continue. As they walk along the grumbling and unkindness grows. They are even unkind to one another. 

"He's too muddleheaded to be on his own.' And all the animals laughed."

"They yowled and they growled and they stamped and they spat ... "

But the donkey says one powerful word - WAIT. The donkey has bought the animals to a statue. It is a statue of a humble donkey. Now the story voice changes.  The statue donkey speaks. He is the donkey who worked with Private John Simpson Kirkpatrick. Together they carried hundreds of soldiers to safety at Gallipoli. The statue can be seen near the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne.

Image Source: City Collection Melbourne

Blurb: At the farm, the donkey is teased by the other animals - especially the bull! Then one night the donkey has a magical dream. The following day they all set out on a most amazing journey. This uplifting story of humility, courage and compassion weaves in the heroic Anzac legend of Simpson and the Donkey.

Next week, when I visit the Book Bunker at Westmead Children's Hospital, I will have the chance to read a picture book to the children from the hospital school.  I am excited to do this but also fairly nervous because we never know who is coming until the children arrive and they can be aged as young as five up to eleven.  Anzac Day falls two days before this visit so the Book Bunker coordinator suggested I should read an ANZAC book.  There are plenty to choose from but finding one that covers such a huge range of ages is tricky.  

Tonight I reread The Anzac Puppy by Peter Millett illustrated by Trish Bowles and Anzac Ted by Belinda Landsberry. I think Anzac Ted might be too complex for a short session. I am not sure if there would be time to scaffold words like foe, ridicules, and woes.  The Anzac Puppy is a heartwarming story but again I am not sure about reading it to the youngest children. Here are two text extracts:

"Trapped in their grimy prison, Sam and Freda shared everything they had ..."

"The long cold nights at the front soon turned into long, terrifying months."

I think I will share Only a Donkey by Celeste Walters illustrated by Patricia Mullins with the children next week. If you want some other picture books based around the story of Simpson and his donkey these books are sure to be found in Australian Primary school libraries:

Here is my earlier post about ANZAC Day books and my Pinterest collection which contains some newer titles.