A small donkey narrates the story of his role in the first Palm Sunday procession in Jerusalem. His owner takes him to the village gate, where strangers ask for a donkey that has never been ridden. He is fearful and stubborn, but is led to a hillside, a grove of olive trees where there is a man in the midst of a crowd. The man is called Jesus and as soon as the colt sees him, he grows peaceful. He joyfully carries the man on his back with the people waving palms and throwing their cloaks on the path and the donkey knows that he is carrying a King. The donkey wishes to carry Jesus back to his hillside, where he will introduce him to his friends—the lizard, crow, cow, hen, and cricket. “My hillside will be a throne for him, and at night the stars will weave him a crown.” The lovely double-paged spreads are executed with impasto acrylic on handmade French watercolor paper. The city scenes are predominantly warm sienna colors highlighting the bricks and buildings while the country scenes are mostly rich blue-green and are a pleasant contrast to the city scenes. Endpapers are the patchwork colors of the cloaks worn by the people and thrown on the path of Jesus. A foreword cites the Gospel writers who tell the story of the Palm Sunday procession, especially Zechariah, Chapter 9, Verse 9: “See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” The palm branches and the tradition of the Palm Sunday procession are also included. A gentle story that small children and parents can enjoy together. (Picture book. 4-6)
Pub Date: March 15, 2002
ISBN: 0-8234-1695-X
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2002
Most books about the death of a pet are solemn and carefully worded, but Allan (Jesus' Christmas Party, 1992, etc.) treats the subject in a decidedly different manner. A little girl who finds her dog, Dill, packing a suitcase asks where he is going. He tells her, ``Up there,'' meaning heaven. Dill—who has the supercilious demeanor of a British butler—and the girl trade imagined descriptions of heaven. She sees it as a place of self-indulgence with no consequences— abundant candy, carnivals, no illness. The dog's heaven includes meaty bones to eat, plentiful lampposts, and piles and piles of ``whiffy things,'' e.g., bones and dog droppings (which are, unfortunately, illustrated). The two friends squabble while angel-dogs give them time to say goodbye; the inevitable sad moments that follow the banter feel superficial and cheap. When a stray puppy comes to live with the girl, she tries to give it a little heaven on earth, but readers may already have gone on to the more congenial version of paradise found in Cynthia Rylant's Dog Heaven (1995). (Picture book. 4-6)
Pub Date: Jan. 31, 1997
ISBN: 0-694-00874-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 1996
The Ziz, a large, somewhat clumsy mythical bird, returns in a Hanukkah story offering an unlikely explanation for how one day’s oil lasted eight. Frustrated by how night’s winter darkness prevents him from accomplishing his evening tasks, the Ziz looks for ways to light his path. Finally, he decides to approach God on Mt. Sinai, who gives him an oil lantern that burns brightly each night. But his newfound treasure begs sharing from his fellow mountain dwellers. Unwilling, the selfish Ziz flies away with his precious lantern, stopping to rest at the Holy Temple, newly reconstructed after the Maccabee victory. He overhears Judah’s worried voice about not having enough oil to light the eternal menorah. The Ziz decides to approach God once more, and He commands the Ziz to help Judah with the oil in his lantern. Colorful paintings in deep tones illustrate this original tale with its goofy-looking overgrown yellow-bodied bird with red-and-purple plumes. Jules incorporates the theme of sharing, as well as apologizing, in a droll version of a holiday tale. (Picture book. 4-6)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2006
ISBN: 1-58013-160-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Kar-Ben
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2006
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