#538 of 1001 · January 20, 2022

Here is a look at M. Jean Craig and Barbara Cooney’s The Donkey Prince, a fairy tale of human tribulation laced with a bit of bizarre magic. A miserly king and a vain queen who long for a child seek supernatural assistance. But the king foolishly cheats a forest wizard, who vengefully causes the queen to birth a donkey. So begins the quirky story of a young prince who must journey out on his own in order to discover his place in the world and make peace with his own identity. Craig’s clear, engaging voice injects the folkloric premise with a subtly modern heart. Cooney’s illustrations lend a beautiful sensitivity to the proceedings. A note for folklore enthusiasts: Craig adapts and expands on a tale from the Brothers Grimm, who in turn drew their plot from a fourteenth-century Latin poem. #donkey #prince #forest #wizard #king #queen #princess #magic #book #books #childrensbooks #beautifulbooks #picturebook #picturebooks #picturebookillustration #picturebookart #childrensbookillustration #childrensliterature #illustration #kidlit #kidsbooks #bookworm #booklover #booklovers #bibliophile #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagrammers #instabook #instabooks