The Angel and the Donkey

by Katherine Paterson, Alexander Koshkin (Illustrations)

Near the Euphrates River, as Moses leads the Israelites in search of their homeland, a stubborn donkey delivers a message from an angel and helps her master save the Israelites from the King of Moab, in a richly illustrated tale from the Hebrew Bible.

Genres: Christian, Picture Books

34 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

Katherine Womeldorf Paterson is an American writer best known for children's novels, including Bridge to Terabithia. For four different books published 1975–1980, she won two Newbery Medals and two National Book Awards. She is one of four people to win the two major international awards; for "lasting contribution to children's literature" she won the biennial Hans Christian Andersen Award for Writing in 1998 and for her career contribution to "children's and young adult literature in the broadest sense" she won the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award from the Swedish Arts Council in 2006, the biggest monetary prize in children's literature. Also for her body of work she was awarded the NSK Neustadt Prize for Children's Literature in 2007 and the Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal from the American Library Association in 2013. She was the second US National Ambassador for Young People's Literature, serving 2010 and 2011.

Reviews

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A picture book by Katherine Paterson!...krb 1/29/18

[Mary Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

While this is a wonderful story and lesson for all ages I especially appreciated the two-page afterword written by the author. I'm surprised Balaam wasn't kicked by the donkey and the SPCA would be all over that today!

[Larena · Rating 4 out of 5]

C: CHILDREN: No offensive language, sex or nudity but might contain occasional comedic Violence.

E:Easy: 3rd grade Vocabulary

Method: Physical Book

Location: Chautaugua-Cattaraugus Library System

[Cheryl · Rating 2 out of 5]

One needs a basic understanding of the Hebrew Bible as context to understand this fable. So sad that it's not true that the Israelites are blessed and will prosper....

[Josiah · Rating 2 out of 5]

This retelling of the story of Balaam and the talking Donkey, taken from chapters 22-24 of the Bible book of Numbers, is certainly well told. With the masterful Katherine Paterson as the author, though, what else would one expect?
I'm not that big a fan of retellings of Bible stories, since nothing could ever compare to the originals. Taken as just a story, Katherine Paterson has done a good job here of filling in some possible details and bringing additional life to the characters of Balaam, his donkey, and the angel that speaks to them.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very thorough and complete telling of the story of Balaam. I really liked it despite two instances where the term jackass was used. Once describing Balaam and the second the donkey. I know it was a play on words but in my opinion not necessary in a children's book.