September 1, 2022
A rhyming Nativity narrative. The donkey who carried Mary to the Nativity calmly focuses on feelings of wonderment surrounding the child's birth. With huge eyes and a disproportionately large head, it's tough to imagine this tiny creature hauling humans; still, the little donkey is utterly adorable. Lines like "a bit of tingle-my-toes. / That's how the evergreen / smelled to me, / a bit of fresh pine to my nose" offer opportunities for caregivers to extend the reading to sensory activities, though the scent of pine doesn't seem historically accurate. An uncluttered stable features friendly, curious barn animals that greet baby Jesus along with the three Wise Men. Told in verse, the tale evokes a tender, pleasant mood. Despite the title, it is unclear if the text can be sung aloud or if it is a reference to the closing lines, "I lifted my head / above His hay bed // ...and sang of this morning of grace." Jesus, referred to as "the Baby" and "the Babe," is tan-skinned, as are his parents. Two of the Wise Men are light-skinned, while one is darker-skinned. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A gentle, spare tale, part bedtime story, part Christmas fare. (Picture book. 2-5)
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September 12, 2022
The humble donkey that transported Mary to the Bethlehem stable describes the sights, smells, and sounds it experiences in this peaceful imagining of Jesus’s birth. Using short rhyming stanzas and reiterative phrasing (“A bit of a manger,/ a bit of snug hay,/ a bit of a soft, silent night”), debut author Kellum creates an understated tone matched by Hanson’s pastoral scenes, which are gently washed in light. Friendly-faced farm animals—including the large-headed donkey and a kind, sprightly mouse—fill most of the spreads, leading in closing pages to the donkey’s moving song: “I lifted my head/ above His hay bed...// ...and sang of this morning of grace.” A sweet and gentle introduction to the nativity story. Ages 3–7.
September 2, 2022
PreS-K-Debut picture book author Kellum takes readers on a journey into the night of Jesus's birth, as told by the donkey who carried Mary to the stable. Kellum uses short, lyrical stanzas to describe the sights and scents of the manger, such as the flicker of candlelight and the smell of pine. As the angels sing and the wise men arrive, the donkey brays a song to the mark the wonderous occasion. Illustrations seem to glow with soft light, which gives each spread a cozy warmth. The animals all have a wide-eyed cuteness; however, the donkey appears to change size throughout the book, appearing large enough to carry an adult on its back in the first spread, but barely larger than the manger in the final pages. All people are depicted as white. VERDICT Sweet, but not spectacular. An additional purchase for libraries where there are never enough nativity stories. -Heather Webb
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