This gentle yet unusually evocative book introduces Palm Sunday via the reminiscences of a humble donkey. McGee (Wake Up, Me) uses a prefatory note to supply background and explain the holiday; the narrative itself concentrates on creating a mood. An aging donkey tells a lamb of the day when he, then a colt on a hillside, was given to strangers "who said they needed a colt, one that had never been ridden." The animal strains mightily at being led through the loud, twisting streets and releases his fears only when Jesus ("Many called him King") comforts him. In a characteristically lyrical passage, the donkey recalls, "Happiness made my hooves tap high, and joy was in my breath. My heart welled up with wonder, like a barrel that fills with rain." Winch's (The Old Woman Who Loved to Read) folk art–style acrylic paintings reconcile the open, peaceful countryside with the noisy crowds of people. Strong-hued backgrounds, from terracotta-colored bricks to a haunting night sky, capture a sense of place while portraits of sloe-eyed animals convey a wealth of emotion. While this book may seem low in wattage compared to Fiona French's Easter
(reviewed below), it is quietly and equally luminous. Ages 4-8. (Mar.)
