The Donkey and the Rock

By Demi

Book Overview

Two men are on their way to market when one man's donkey knocks over the other man's jar of precious oil. Confused and upset, neither man knows who to blame for the mishap. They decide to ask their wise and just king for help. He suggests holding a trial between the donkey and the rock, and invites all his subjects to the courthouse to witness the strange event. But instead of watching a trial, the audience itself gets a lesson from the king.From the striking mountain range to the brilliant colors of the prayer flags and the monks in red and gold, The Donkey and the Rock gives young readers a taste of the beautiful country of Tibet, and shares the wisdom of a tale that emerged from it.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0805059598
• ISBN13: 9780805059595
• Release Date: March 1999
• Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
• Length: 32 Pages
• Weight: 1.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 10.3" x 0.3" x 10.3"
• Age Range: 4 to 7 years
• Grade Range: Preschool to Grade 2

Customer Reviews

We enjoyed this picture book...

We enjoyed this retelling of an ancient folk tale by Demi. The illustrations throughout are rich with color and capture the beauty of the Tibetan culture and country. The clever king comes up with an interesting solution to the central problem in the story and this led into a good discussion with my daughter about his decision/reasoning.

Great adaption of an ancient folktale

This story is rather simple, and yet it conveys a rather universal message that will touch adults as well as children. I not only reccomend it to those who want to expose children to stories from cultures other than their own, but also to anyone that appreciates great stories in general.