Elementary Secondary Higher Ed Common Reads
0 0
Download high-resolution image

Donkey-donkey

Author Roger Duvoisin
Ebook
New York Review Books | NYR Children's Collection
On sale Mar 08, 2016 | 56 Pages | 9781590179895
Up to Kindergarten
Add to cart Add to list Exam Copies

See Additional Formats
The illustrated children’s classic about friendship and self-acceptance, from a Caldecott Medal–winning illustrator and the author of Petunia—perfect for reading aloud with kids ages 2-5

When a self-conscious donkey meets a new friend who likes him just the way he is, he realizes that accepting himself—long ears and all!—is the most important lesson.

Donkey-donkey has a problem. Despite his many friends and his good master, he is sad because his ears are so long and ridiculous. If only Donkey-donkey could have short sensible ears like his friend, Pat the horse, he would be content. So, he seeks the advice of his fellow farm animals who suggest he wear his ears differently, more like theirs: floppy like the dog’s, to the side like the sheep’s, to the front like the pig’s. But each unnatural arrangement leads to increasing insult and injury. Finally, a little girl passing by remarks on the beauty of the pretty little donkey’s ears! 

At last Donkey-donkey is happy. A classic tale of vanity and folly, and learning to accept oneself—protrudent ears, redundant name, and all.
Roger Duvoisin (1900–1980) was born to a French Swiss family in Geneva. He graduated from the École des Arts et Métiers and the École des Beaux-Arts in Geneva and early in his career worked as a mural and stage-set painter before settling on textile design. In the late 1920s, he immigrated to the United States, where he soon began writing and illustrating children’s books. The author of more than forty of his own books, Duvoisin also collaborated with many writers, including his wife, Louise Fatio Duvoisin, and Alvin Tresselt, with whom he won a Caldecott Award for White Snow, Bright Snow in 1948 and the Caldecott Honor Award for Hide and Seek Fog in 1966. Today he is best known for Petunia, the story of a not-so-silly silly goose.

The New York Review Children’s Collection will publish Duvoisin’s The House of Four Seasons and The Frog in the Well in the coming seasons.
Roger Duvoisin View titles by Roger Duvoisin
"Cheerful farm-set illustrations with fine black lines and washes of color add humor to Donkey-donkey's plight. Duvoisin's 'be yourself' message is as relevant today as it was in the eighty-three years since the book's original publication." —Elissa Gershowitz, The Horn Book Magazine

“The message of this story is that it’s best to be oneself, and Caldecott Medal–winning Duvoisin delivers it with compassion and humor, without being sentimental. He knows how to pace a story, give rhythm to the language, and create inviting, bold illustrations.”—Isabel Baker and Miriam Baker Schiffer, Young Children

“Harmless mulishness, affectionately drawn.”—Kirkus Reviews
 
“[A] delightful book: the pictures...make the point vividly clear even to a very small child.”—New Statesman 

About

The illustrated children’s classic about friendship and self-acceptance, from a Caldecott Medal–winning illustrator and the author of Petunia—perfect for reading aloud with kids ages 2-5

When a self-conscious donkey meets a new friend who likes him just the way he is, he realizes that accepting himself—long ears and all!—is the most important lesson.

Donkey-donkey has a problem. Despite his many friends and his good master, he is sad because his ears are so long and ridiculous. If only Donkey-donkey could have short sensible ears like his friend, Pat the horse, he would be content. So, he seeks the advice of his fellow farm animals who suggest he wear his ears differently, more like theirs: floppy like the dog’s, to the side like the sheep’s, to the front like the pig’s. But each unnatural arrangement leads to increasing insult and injury. Finally, a little girl passing by remarks on the beauty of the pretty little donkey’s ears! 

At last Donkey-donkey is happy. A classic tale of vanity and folly, and learning to accept oneself—protrudent ears, redundant name, and all.

Author

Roger Duvoisin (1900–1980) was born to a French Swiss family in Geneva. He graduated from the École des Arts et Métiers and the École des Beaux-Arts in Geneva and early in his career worked as a mural and stage-set painter before settling on textile design. In the late 1920s, he immigrated to the United States, where he soon began writing and illustrating children’s books. The author of more than forty of his own books, Duvoisin also collaborated with many writers, including his wife, Louise Fatio Duvoisin, and Alvin Tresselt, with whom he won a Caldecott Award for White Snow, Bright Snow in 1948 and the Caldecott Honor Award for Hide and Seek Fog in 1966. Today he is best known for Petunia, the story of a not-so-silly silly goose.

The New York Review Children’s Collection will publish Duvoisin’s The House of Four Seasons and The Frog in the Well in the coming seasons.
Roger Duvoisin View titles by Roger Duvoisin

Praise

"Cheerful farm-set illustrations with fine black lines and washes of color add humor to Donkey-donkey's plight. Duvoisin's 'be yourself' message is as relevant today as it was in the eighty-three years since the book's original publication." —Elissa Gershowitz, The Horn Book Magazine

“The message of this story is that it’s best to be oneself, and Caldecott Medal–winning Duvoisin delivers it with compassion and humor, without being sentimental. He knows how to pace a story, give rhythm to the language, and create inviting, bold illustrations.”—Isabel Baker and Miriam Baker Schiffer, Young Children

“Harmless mulishness, affectionately drawn.”—Kirkus Reviews
 
“[A] delightful book: the pictures...make the point vividly clear even to a very small child.”—New Statesman 

Additional formats

Other Books by this Author

Related Articles

Social Studies & History English Language Arts

May is Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Join us this month and beyond to celebrate the cultures and contributions of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. Browse a curated selection of fiction and nonfiction books by AANHPI creators that we are sure your students will love. Find our collections of titles here: Elementary

Read more

May is Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Social Studies & History English Language Arts
General Education & Professional Learning

Reading with Purpose Summit Event

On Monday, June 10th, Penguin Random House Education and DK Learning co-hosted a Reading with Purpose Summit Event in collaboration with Molly Ness, PhD. The event took place at Penguin Random House’s NYC headquarters and included sessions featuring leading education experts and a lunchtime author panel. The in-person professional learning event was built to show

Read more

Reading with Purpose Summit Event

General Education & Professional Learning
Social Studies & History Math The Arts General Early Concepts Education & Professional Learning English Language Arts Favorite Authors & Series Science & Technology

2024 Elementary School Collection

The Penguin Random House Education Elementary School Collection features outstanding fiction, nonfiction, and picture books from Penguin Young Reader’s, Random House Children’s, DK, and Grupo Editorial, as well as children’s publishers distributed by Penguin Random House. Explore online or download this valuable resource to discover great books in specific topic areas such as: Leveled Readers,

Read more

2024 Elementary School Collection

Social Studies & History Math The Arts General Early Concepts Education & Professional Learning English Language Arts Favorite Authors & Series Science & Technology
DK Learning Phonic Books Sampler Request
General Publisher's Spotlight English Language Arts

DK Learning Phonic Books Sampler Request

Thank you for your interest in DK Learning | Phonic Books. To download the DK Learning | Phonic Books sampler with four complete readers, please click here and complete the form. Once your information is successfully submitted, a link to download the sampler will be provided on the confirmation screen.   Click here to learn

Read more

DK Learning Phonic Books Sampler Request

General Publisher's Spotlight English Language Arts
education translanguaging collections affirming bilingual and multilingual learners
General Education & Professional Learning English Language Arts Favorite Authors & Series The Arts

PRH Education Translanguaging Collections

Translanguaging is a communicative practice of bilinguals and multilinguals, that is, it is a practice whereby bilinguals and multilinguals use their entire linguistic repertoire to communicate and make meaning (García, 2009; García, Ibarra Johnson, & Seltzer, 2017)   It is through that lens that we have partnered with teacher educators and bilingual education experts, Drs.

Read more

PRH Education Translanguaging Collections

General Education & Professional Learning English Language Arts Favorite Authors & Series The Arts

Penguin Random House Elementary Education

© 2025 Penguin Random House

Back to Top
0
    • 0
    Wish List (0)