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Customer Reviews for Tilli Publishing The Donkey's First Christmas

Tilli Publishing The Donkey's First Christmas

This funny donkey hates the idea of work. He hates it so much, he tries all kinds of ways to avoid it. His tactics have always paid off in the past, because people mistakenly think he's useless so leave him alone. On winter however, a man turns up at the yard who simply 'can not be put off...' and gives the shocked little donkey the job of a lifetime.
Average Customer Rating:
4.429 out of 5
4.4
 out of 
5
(7 Reviews) 7
Open Ratings Snapshot
Rating Snapshot (7 reviews)
5 stars
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7 out of 7100%customers would recommend this product to a friend.
Customer Reviews for The Donkey's First Christmas
Review 1 for The Donkey's First Christmas
Overall Rating: 
5 out of 5
5 out of 5

The stubborn-donkey perspective on the nativity

Date:November 26, 2011
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Jane Maritz
Location:Oregon
Age:35-44
Gender:female
Quality: 
5 out of 5
5 out of 5
Value: 
4 out of 5
4 out of 5
Meets Expectations: 
5 out of 5
5 out of 5
4yo Esmé’s Synopsis:
This book is about a donkey. It’s a Bible story. The most meaningful part was about Jesus – when He was born.
I didn’t like the part when it was over.
AND, I didn’t like that Mary was nice to the bad donkey. You should make a donkey be good by pulling it with a rope, not by being nice to it. (leading into a long theological discussion…)
What Mom Liked:
This is a seriously sweet, whimsical, humorous, meaningful book.
*A GREAT read-aloud! The rhyming is fun and flows, and we are awesome “e-Or”-ers here!
*Fun illustrations. Just adorable (thought gender-neutral). The font fits the illustrations perfectly. And the text/illustration mix (less words on some pages than others, etc.) adds to the read-aloud fun.
*Easy to relate to. What kid isn’t a little self-centered, stubborn, and bratty at times, trying to get out of doing chores etc. etc.?!
*Sweet message. Yes, it’s the message of Christ’s birth. But the stubborn-donkey perspective adds another dimension. Kindness transforms. God uses the unlikeliest of us. God makes the impossible possible. The lessons aren’t spelled out, but lay the groundwork for meaningful discussion.
“You see now little donkey -
What a special thing you’ve done?
By helping carry Mary -
You helped God’s precious Son!”
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Review 2 for The Donkey's First Christmas
Overall Rating: 
4 out of 5
4 out of 5

A cute story for young children

Date:November 21, 2011
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kriswrite
Location:USA
Age:35-44
Gender:female
Quality: 
4 out of 5
4 out of 5
Value: 
4 out of 5
4 out of 5
Meets Expectations: 
4 out of 5
4 out of 5
God often uses the least likely people to accomplish his goals, and in The Donkey's First Christmas by S.T. Schroder, he also uses a stubborn donkey.
This little blue donkey doesn't want to do anything - unless it's his own idea. To avoid working for his master, he puts on illness, or hides, or just plain refuses to move. But one day, despite hiding, limping, coughing, and loudly braying, his master gives him - for free - to a man.
The donkey's heart sinks as he sees his load: A very pregnant woman, plus some luggage. "I won't and you can't make me," the donkey thinks, but the woman offers him a pear: "There you go you sweetie. Let's have a bite to eat. It wouldn't do to start our trip without a little treat." The donkey decides he'll do as the woman asks - "but only for today."
The woman's kindness keeps the donkey walking, even when he thinks he can't go a step further, until at last he collapses in a stable. The next thing he knows, he hears a baby crying.
"Then when I saw the mother
pull her tiny baby near
an angel who'd been watchingYou see now little donkey
what a special thing you've done?
By helping carry Mary
- you helped God's precious son."
What I Like: This is a cute book, with chunky, sweet illustrations in soft colors. It appealed to both my children - who, like so many young kids - sometimes want to be as stubborn as the blue donkey. Although the book does not give the full story of the first Christmas, it does create an opening to discuss it, all while holding a young child's attention better than a more realistic book might.
What I Dislike: Schroder's rhyming text occasionally is forced, but my only major complaint is the text, which uses a capital O whenever an O appears in the text, reminding us of the first illustration in the book where the donkey is shown braying "e-Or!" While this is creative, it - combined with the thin font designed to appear hand written (or, perhaps it is hand written) makes it difficult for me to read the story without hesitating.
Overall Rating: Despite the problems with the font, very good.
Kristina Seleshanko, Christian Children's Book Review
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Review 3 for The Donkey's First Christmas
Overall Rating: 
5 out of 5
5 out of 5

Date:November 1, 2011
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sdma
Location:San Luis Obispo, Ca
Age:35-44
Gender:female
Quality: 
4 out of 5
4 out of 5
Value: 
5 out of 5
5 out of 5
Meets Expectations: 
5 out of 5
5 out of 5
This is a great book for bedtime reading and for learning to read. My boys loved it both for Christmas as well as the rest of the year. The story is timeless with mass appeal. A treat to go back to time and again!
+1point
1of 1voted this as helpful.
Review 4 for The Donkey's First Christmas
Overall Rating: 
5 out of 5
5 out of 5

A brilliant Christmas story

Date:October 27, 2011
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Rachel Ray
Location:manchester uk
Age:35-44
Gender:female
Quality: 
5 out of 5
5 out of 5
Value: 
5 out of 5
5 out of 5
Meets Expectations: 
5 out of 5
5 out of 5
I love this story -it inspires the whole family at many levels. It's beautifully illustrated with a quirky, cute character that allows children to connect with the Christmas story in a new way. Issues such as diligence, self confidence and belief in others are brought to life in a thoughtful way.
+1point
1of 1voted this as helpful.
Review 5 for The Donkey's First Christmas
Overall Rating: 
4 out of 5
4 out of 5

Nice addition to Christmas favorites

Date:October 25, 2011
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2 Encourage
Location:Chambersburg, PA
Age:55-65
Gender:female
Quality: 
4 out of 5
4 out of 5
Value: 
4 out of 5
4 out of 5
Donkey wants his own way! He is determined to do only what he feels like doing—and only when it suits him. Donkey thinks that if he is uncooperative, unreliable, and loud, no one will ask him to do anything. And it works—until one special day when Donkey meets a family who is even more determined than he is!
Through Donkey’s experience with the Holy Family on the very first Christmas, young children will come to realize that everything we do for God is special. Each one of us can do our part.
The Donkey’s First Christmas is a very attractive book filled with well-done line drawings in a chunky, child-appealing style. Colored in warm, soft shades, the pictures compliment the text beautifully.
The Donkey’s First Christmas would make a nice addition to the traditional Christmas books read year after year. With its likeable but ornery donkey and pretty illustrations, this book will make your favorite toddler very happy this Christmas.
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Review 6 for The Donkey's First Christmas
Overall Rating: 
3 out of 5
3 out of 5

Date:September 30, 2011
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Michelle
Location:Australia
Age:35-44
Gender:female
The Donkey’s First Christmas is and enjoyable picture book. It tells the Christmas story from a humorous angle – the donkey’s point of view. The donkey is a little reluctant, possibly even a little too lazy to help out a very persistent man who travelled with a lady who had a big bump.
read more here... http://t.co/euK9j2uh
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Review 7 for The Donkey's First Christmas
Overall Rating: 
5 out of 5
5 out of 5

absolutely spot on

Date:August 2, 2011
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mickey
Location:england
Age:35-44
Gender:male
Quality: 
4 out of 5
4 out of 5
Value: 
5 out of 5
5 out of 5
Meets Expectations: 
5 out of 5
5 out of 5
This book is a lovely gem of a story which will give your kids a different angle on the Christmas Story as seen from the donkeys point of view, a rather cheeky donkey who slowly realizes the important task he has begrudgingly been given. The illustrations are simple and i like them a lot - in short great value as my kids loved it.
+1point
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