Publisher Description

From Caldecott Medal winner Roger Duvoisin, a tale of friendship and self-acceptance. Donkey-Donkey is sad because his ears are too long, and when he asks his farm animal friends for styling advice nothing is quite right. But when Donkey-donkey meets a new friend who likes his ears just as they are, the mule hero of this delightful book learns that accepting himself, long ears and all, is the most important lesson.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 2-5When 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 Biography

Roger Duvoisin (1900-1980) was born to a French Swiss family in Geneva. He graduated from the cole des Arts et Metiers and the cole 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.

Review

"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

"You will want to find a copy of this one. It's funny…a delight." —Julie Danielson, Kirkus

"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

"[A] delightful book: the pictures...make the point vividly clear even to a very small child."—New Statesman

Promotional

From Caldecott Medal winner Roger Duvoisin, a tale of friendship and self-acceptance. Donkey-Donkey is sad because his ears are too long, and when he asks his farm animal friends for styling advice nothing is quite right. But when Donkey-donkey meets a new friend who likes his ears just as they are, the mule hero of this delightful book learns that accepting himself, long ears and all, is the most important lesson.

Review Quote

"Harmless mulishness, affectionately drawn."-- Kirkus Reviews

Details