by Sheila Jaxland
★★★★★
Ever wonder how donkeys got the sign of the cross on their backs? Wonder about it no more.
I’m a sucker for Christian children’s picture books, if they aren’t preachy. This one is perfect.
Mylo, an abandoned donkey, hears a voice from heaven instructing him to go west. So he sets off at a gallop, travelling for two days and two nights. He’s found and stabled by Joseph, the soon-to-be father of the world’s Savior. This cute little book tells the story of Jesus, from birth to ascension, from the perspective of Jesus’ best friend from birth: Mylo, his loving, loyal donkey. Mylo doesn’t seem to understand very much about what’s going around on around him—hey, he’s just a donkey—but I suspect in the end, he understands as much as any of us need to.
Sheila’s tale is respectful, heart-warming, and biblical (if you’re able to pretend an adorable little donkey followed Jesus everywhere he went). And yes, donkeys go to heaven, too.
