Ruby the Christmas Donkey by Mirabel Cecil illustrated by Christina Gascoigne

Day One 12 Christmas Donkeys

My Christmas book countdown for 2025 will focus on Christmas books that celebrate the humble donkey and his part in the Christmas story.  For each post over the next 12 days I will share a book cover and the blurb of each picture book (note most of these will be out of print but they might be in your local library which is a special place you could visit in January).

Some of these books, as you would expect, are based on the Nativity story but others link with Father Christmas. One is a brand-new Australian title. In some cases the story will feel very familiar but hopefully your young reading companion will enjoy the variety of illustration styles.  I have read most of these books - others I found through online searching. 

You might like to begin by listening to The Small One (this YouTube link is an audio file).

Check out my previous post

Blurb: Ruby the donkey has spent her summers giving rides to children on the beach. Now she is growing old and when winter comes she can no longer keep herself warm. The other animals make Ruby a special coat and she ends up being chosen to star in the local school's Nativity play.