Mikis and the Donkey

My children and I had so much fun reading this book together. They are seven years-old, and it was perfect for a read aloud, although I think the age range could easily go from 6 to 10. The story is about a young boy, Mikis, living on a Greek island who is helping his grandfather raise a donkey. The reader gets to see the donkey from each of their eyes. For the boy, she is a pet. For the grandfather, she is a tractor. Mikis is such a loving and determined boy. He's a terrific character for children. Another favorite part of the book for me is the setting. The author paints a detailed and beautiful picture of this island from the olive trees to the winding streets in the village. Not only did we learn about donkeys, but we were able to explore a small Greek village that is so different from our lives. This book is truly a hidden gem!

This book is incredible. Took a chance buying it, but I read it all in one sitting in about 30 minutes. It is so funny, sweet, charming, and adorable. I will cherish it forever. It's about a young man who understands that donkeys deserve respect and compassion unlike most of the people in his Greek town. By the end he converts them to animal lovers too. His Greek teacher, his beautiful and nice school teacher, his little girl friend. his grandparents and the funny comments of the townspeople about his friendship with the donkey. Everything rings so true and is not over done at all. So understated and beautiful. Seriously a book among books. Loved it.

I bought this book because my son has developed a love of donkeys. We are a household of avid readers and book lovers. It is now one of our all time favorite children's books. I highly recommend this charming, heartwarming story.

Love anything that has to do with donkeys.

Great book, timely delivery.

Mikis and the Donkey is such a sweet gentle story. Mikis is completely captivated with the donkey his grandparents buy to help with some work around their property.Mikis seems to understand the donkey and loves her from the start. He speaks up for her health and her happiness. His grandparents are rather baffled by his affinity for the animal, but with some cajoling from Mikis, they support his doting on her. The funniest part is Mikis and his friend’s idea to introduce Tsaki to another donkey who lives just outside their small village. Adults will see what comes next, but Mikis’ total and utter surprise at the baby donkey who results from this donkey friendship is hilarious and sweet.In addition to the story line about Mikis and Tsaki, there is a friendship story between humans too. One of Mikis’ classmates, a quite girl, is captivated with Tsaki. Over their love of the donkey Mikis and this little girl become close friends. Mikis discovers that though she is quiet the little girl has a lot to offer.I think the book would make a great read aloud and it’s certainly one for any animal lover. The book does have a slow pace which might make it less popular. I see it as one you would book talk to specific kids instead of one that will fly off the shelf at every opportunity. The book isn’t too long, but I suspect the reading level is a little bit higher. It would probably go in our tiny “mellow yellow” section which is a transition from our red chapter books to our higher yellow fiction books (things that are usually called middle grade). I still think it would be fine for kids who are working their way up through chapter books.I forgot to note, since the summary from Goodreads doesn’t say, the book is set in a small village on the Greek island of Corfu. In someways I think this might be an interesting way to make the connection between the Syrian (and others) migrant crisis, as many of them are washing up and landing on the Greek islands. It might be a little contrived, but you could certainly talk about other events in this part of the world in conjunction with looking at the story of Mikis.

Mikis and the Donkey is a roughly 100 page hardcover children's book. Mikis lives on the Greek island of Corfu. His life is pretty uneventful until his grandfather buys him a donkey. Mikis struggles to find a name for his jenny (female donkey) and finally, with the help of the donkey, settles on the name Tsaki. The grandparents intend for Tsaki to be a working animal, which isn't unreasonable at all, and that is how they treat him. Mikis, however, sees the animal as more than just a beast of burden. He treats the animal with great dignity and respect, and I would even go so far as to say that he sees Tsaki as his friend. Mikis' attitude towards Tsaki eventually convinces his grandparents and other people in the village to care for and treat all creatures with respect. This was a beautiful book with very short chapters, making it a perfect read-aloud book for your children.