The Donkey Who Carried a King

The theme of Jesus as servant is proudly on display through this book. My favorite quote from the book, "He took the punishment that they deserved for sinning against a holy God - the punishment you and I deserve. He was a King, but He was a servant to His people." Also, the 'Understanding the Story' section in the back of the book breaks down the story and gives scripture references. This makes for great discussions!! Now, please don't beat me up for this one, but I didn’t like Davey the Donkey, He whined and complained far too much. I always feel that the main character should have strong, likable characteristics. Davey fell short. Also, this book is definitely more moralistic than gospel centered. The emphasis of the book is given to a boy who gets picked last for games so his grandpa tells him the story of Davey the Donkey. Side Note: The book mentions that Mary and Joseph knew Jesus would die to save his people. I can't find this anywhere in scripture. {Mary probably expected Jesus to be a political figure who would free the Jews from Roman rule. That's likely how she understood the promise of Jesus as a deliverer, a redeemer, the Messiah. It wasn't until later that she would discover that Jesus had actually come to redeem the whole world, to make us all new. Joseph died sometime before Jesus was crucified.}

We bought this book for my 3 year old. It is much too wordy for him. But we stil really like it. It’ll just be a few years before he can enjoy it as much as we do.

This book has an amazing story and really lays out the salvation story in a way that children will enjoy. That being said this book is quite long. It is probably best for children that are advanced 3 year old's and up. I would imagine the best age range being in the 5's. My son is 3 and doesn't follow along with this book well but enjoys the pictures and talking about the donkey. Once he is older I think he will appreciate the book more but introducing it to him young will make him ask for it when he is older. Overall I highly recommend this book and will be gifting it to a friend who has a son around the same age as ours.

When I picked up this book I expected a straightforward retelling of the Easter events, with some explanation about the significance of the donkey in the Triumphal Entry. This is instead a moral lesson based on Matthew 20:28 - "The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." In the setup, a young boy comes home distraught at being picked last for a game. His grandfather sits down with him and tells the story of Davey the donkey, who learns from his old friend Barnabas that although he was chosen to carry a great King, that didn't mean he was too good for simple roles. The King Himself humbly chose to become a willing servant, so Christians should recognize that every role is important and not seek only prominent positions. After making this point, Grandpa explains that Jesus died to save His people from their sins, bearing their punishment and erasing their guilt. He now reigns forever with His Father, and is worthy of our service. Although the story hangs on the events of Jesus' Passion, burial and resurrection, the main part of it is entirely fictional. We know almost nothing about the real donkey on which the fictional Davey is based, except that he fulfilled the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9. Davey's donkey friend Barnabus, who is supposed to have carried Jesus' mother Mary to Bethlehem, isn't actually mentioned in the Bible at all. Although the meaning of Easter is explained on the last page, the Gospel isn't the main point of the story -- rather, you might say the main point depends on an understanding the Gospel. It's possible that some children reading this may be confused about the historical events of Easter. However, even children usually understand the difference between real animals and anthropomorphized ones. Although I'm usually uncomfortable with embellished Bible stories, if anybody can pull it off without getting into theological trouble it's R.C. Sproul. This book is well-written, interesting and engaging, and attractively illustrated. It has a biblical message, and although its message isn't central to the Easter observance, it could make a good addition to an Easter reading basket.

I love this book. I heard it read to children via Zoom at Moody Church this past Palm Sunday. I ordered a book for each of my grandchildren with the package having their names on it. Due to COVID the shipment came to them today. Then today I ordered me a Kindle version.

I keep the book in our Easter stack. My kids love it. It's written beautifully. It is R.C.Sproul! It teaches the Gospel and a way kids can apply the knowledge in their life. And the pictures are beautiful!

It is very difficult to find Christian children's literature that is also quality. This one is excellent. It is beautiful, and compelling. These are not the most important things, but when it comes to a child selected resource I think they are important. This, however, mentions 3 stories with a donkey from the Bible which I love. It mainly focuses on when Jesus rode the donkey over the palm leaves from the point of view of the donkey. This covers thankfulness, humility, and the Gospel. I loved it and will be purchasing books by the same author. There is so much good in this one I can't even think of any flaws.

we love this book. I am trying to instill a Christ-like attitude in my child at an early age and purchased this for Christmas for him. The pictures are beautiful and the story is precious. This is an exceptional author whose wrote several Christian books.

I'm 10 years old and I got this book for Christmas. I think It teaches very important lessons. To not give up do your best and to do what your told with out complaining. Jesus died on the cross to save us and he wants us to behave good to God and other people. The illustrations are GREAT and the donkey learned not to be sassy and every job is important. Thanks to Mr. Sproul for a good book!😃

Family loves this book, inspirational, god story

The theme of Jesus as servant is proudly on display through this book. My favorite quote from the book, "He took the punishment that they deserved for sinning against a holy God - the punishment you and I deserve. He was a King, but He was a servant to His people." Also, the 'Understanding the Story' section in the back of the book breaks down the story and gives scripture references. This makes for great discussions!! Now, please don't beat me up for this one, but I didn’t like Davey the Donkey, He whined and complained far too much. I always feel that the main character should have strong, likable characteristics. Davey fell short. Also, this book is definitely more moralistic than gospel centered. The emphasis of the book is given to a boy who gets picked last for games so his grandpa tells him the story of Davey the Donkey. Side Note: The book mentions that Mary and Joseph knew Jesus would die to save his people. I can't find this anywhere in scripture. {Mary probably expected Jesus to be a political figure who would free the Jews from Roman rule. That's likely how she understood the promise of Jesus as a deliverer, a redeemer, the Messiah. It wasn't until later that she would discover that Jesus had actually come to redeem the whole world, to make us all new. Joseph died sometime before Jesus was crucified.}

We bought this book for my 3 year old. It is much too wordy for him. But we stil really like it. It’ll just be a few years before he can enjoy it as much as we do.

This book has an amazing story and really lays out the salvation story in a way that children will enjoy. That being said this book is quite long. It is probably best for children that are advanced 3 year old's and up. I would imagine the best age range being in the 5's. My son is 3 and doesn't follow along with this book well but enjoys the pictures and talking about the donkey. Once he is older I think he will appreciate the book more but introducing it to him young will make him ask for it when he is older. Overall I highly recommend this book and will be gifting it to a friend who has a son around the same age as ours.

When I picked up this book I expected a straightforward retelling of the Easter events, with some explanation about the significance of the donkey in the Triumphal Entry. This is instead a moral lesson based on Matthew 20:28 - "The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." In the setup, a young boy comes home distraught at being picked last for a game. His grandfather sits down with him and tells the story of Davey the donkey, who learns from his old friend Barnabas that although he was chosen to carry a great King, that didn't mean he was too good for simple roles. The King Himself humbly chose to become a willing servant, so Christians should recognize that every role is important and not seek only prominent positions. After making this point, Grandpa explains that Jesus died to save His people from their sins, bearing their punishment and erasing their guilt. He now reigns forever with His Father, and is worthy of our service. Although the story hangs on the events of Jesus' Passion, burial and resurrection, the main part of it is entirely fictional. We know almost nothing about the real donkey on which the fictional Davey is based, except that he fulfilled the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9. Davey's donkey friend Barnabus, who is supposed to have carried Jesus' mother Mary to Bethlehem, isn't actually mentioned in the Bible at all. Although the meaning of Easter is explained on the last page, the Gospel isn't the main point of the story -- rather, you might say the main point depends on an understanding the Gospel. It's possible that some children reading this may be confused about the historical events of Easter. However, even children usually understand the difference between real animals and anthropomorphized ones. Although I'm usually uncomfortable with embellished Bible stories, if anybody can pull it off without getting into theological trouble it's R.C. Sproul. This book is well-written, interesting and engaging, and attractively illustrated. It has a biblical message, and although its message isn't central to the Easter observance, it could make a good addition to an Easter reading basket.

I love this book. I heard it read to children via Zoom at Moody Church this past Palm Sunday. I ordered a book for each of my grandchildren with the package having their names on it. Due to COVID the shipment came to them today. Then today I ordered me a Kindle version.

I keep the book in our Easter stack. My kids love it. It's written beautifully. It is R.C.Sproul! It teaches the Gospel and a way kids can apply the knowledge in their life. And the pictures are beautiful!

It is very difficult to find Christian children's literature that is also quality. This one is excellent. It is beautiful, and compelling. These are not the most important things, but when it comes to a child selected resource I think they are important. This, however, mentions 3 stories with a donkey from the Bible which I love. It mainly focuses on when Jesus rode the donkey over the palm leaves from the point of view of the donkey. This covers thankfulness, humility, and the Gospel. I loved it and will be purchasing books by the same author. There is so much good in this one I can't even think of any flaws.

we love this book. I am trying to instill a Christ-like attitude in my child at an early age and purchased this for Christmas for him. The pictures are beautiful and the story is precious. This is an exceptional author whose wrote several Christian books.

I'm 10 years old and I got this book for Christmas. I think It teaches very important lessons. To not give up do your best and to do what your told with out complaining. Jesus died on the cross to save us and he wants us to behave good to God and other people. The illustrations are GREAT and the donkey learned not to be sassy and every job is important. Thanks to Mr. Sproul for a good book!😃

Family loves this book, inspirational, god story

The theme of Jesus as servant is proudly on display through this book. My favorite quote from the book, "He took the punishment that they deserved for sinning against a holy God - the punishment you and I deserve. He was a King, but He was a servant to His people." Also, the 'Understanding the Story' section in the back of the book breaks down the story and gives scripture references. This makes for great discussions!! Now, please don't beat me up for this one, but I didn’t like Davey the Donkey, He whined and complained far too much. I always feel that the main character should have strong, likable characteristics. Davey fell short. Also, this book is definitely more moralistic than gospel centered. The emphasis of the book is given to a boy who gets picked last for games so his grandpa tells him the story of Davey the Donkey. Side Note: The book mentions that Mary and Joseph knew Jesus would die to save his people. I can't find this anywhere in scripture. {Mary probably expected Jesus to be a political figure who would free the Jews from Roman rule. That's likely how she understood the promise of Jesus as a deliverer, a redeemer, the Messiah. It wasn't until later that she would discover that Jesus had actually come to redeem the whole world, to make us all new. Joseph died sometime before Jesus was crucified.}

We bought this book for my 3 year old. It is much too wordy for him. But we stil really like it. It’ll just be a few years before he can enjoy it as much as we do.

This book has an amazing story and really lays out the salvation story in a way that children will enjoy. That being said this book is quite long. It is probably best for children that are advanced 3 year old's and up. I would imagine the best age range being in the 5's. My son is 3 and doesn't follow along with this book well but enjoys the pictures and talking about the donkey. Once he is older I think he will appreciate the book more but introducing it to him young will make him ask for it when he is older. Overall I highly recommend this book and will be gifting it to a friend who has a son around the same age as ours.

When I picked up this book I expected a straightforward retelling of the Easter events, with some explanation about the significance of the donkey in the Triumphal Entry. This is instead a moral lesson based on Matthew 20:28 - "The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." In the setup, a young boy comes home distraught at being picked last for a game. His grandfather sits down with him and tells the story of Davey the donkey, who learns from his old friend Barnabas that although he was chosen to carry a great King, that didn't mean he was too good for simple roles. The King Himself humbly chose to become a willing servant, so Christians should recognize that every role is important and not seek only prominent positions. After making this point, Grandpa explains that Jesus died to save His people from their sins, bearing their punishment and erasing their guilt. He now reigns forever with His Father, and is worthy of our service. Although the story hangs on the events of Jesus' Passion, burial and resurrection, the main part of it is entirely fictional. We know almost nothing about the real donkey on which the fictional Davey is based, except that he fulfilled the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9. Davey's donkey friend Barnabus, who is supposed to have carried Jesus' mother Mary to Bethlehem, isn't actually mentioned in the Bible at all. Although the meaning of Easter is explained on the last page, the Gospel isn't the main point of the story -- rather, you might say the main point depends on an understanding the Gospel. It's possible that some children reading this may be confused about the historical events of Easter. However, even children usually understand the difference between real animals and anthropomorphized ones. Although I'm usually uncomfortable with embellished Bible stories, if anybody can pull it off without getting into theological trouble it's R.C. Sproul. This book is well-written, interesting and engaging, and attractively illustrated. It has a biblical message, and although its message isn't central to the Easter observance, it could make a good addition to an Easter reading basket.

I love this book. I heard it read to children via Zoom at Moody Church this past Palm Sunday. I ordered a book for each of my grandchildren with the package having their names on it. Due to COVID the shipment came to them today. Then today I ordered me a Kindle version.

I keep the book in our Easter stack. My kids love it. It's written beautifully. It is R.C.Sproul! It teaches the Gospel and a way kids can apply the knowledge in their life. And the pictures are beautiful!

It is very difficult to find Christian children's literature that is also quality. This one is excellent. It is beautiful, and compelling. These are not the most important things, but when it comes to a child selected resource I think they are important. This, however, mentions 3 stories with a donkey from the Bible which I love. It mainly focuses on when Jesus rode the donkey over the palm leaves from the point of view of the donkey. This covers thankfulness, humility, and the Gospel. I loved it and will be purchasing books by the same author. There is so much good in this one I can't even think of any flaws.

we love this book. I am trying to instill a Christ-like attitude in my child at an early age and purchased this for Christmas for him. The pictures are beautiful and the story is precious. This is an exceptional author whose wrote several Christian books.

I'm 10 years old and I got this book for Christmas. I think It teaches very important lessons. To not give up do your best and to do what your told with out complaining. Jesus died on the cross to save us and he wants us to behave good to God and other people. The illustrations are GREAT and the donkey learned not to be sassy and every job is important. Thanks to Mr. Sproul for a good book!😃

Family loves this book, inspirational, god story

The theme of Jesus as servant is proudly on display through this book. My favorite quote from the book, "He took the punishment that they deserved for sinning against a holy God - the punishment you and I deserve. He was a King, but He was a servant to His people." Also, the 'Understanding the Story' section in the back of the book breaks down the story and gives scripture references. This makes for great discussions!! Now, please don't beat me up for this one, but I didn’t like Davey the Donkey, He whined and complained far too much. I always feel that the main character should have strong, likable characteristics. Davey fell short. Also, this book is definitely more moralistic than gospel centered. The emphasis of the book is given to a boy who gets picked last for games so his grandpa tells him the story of Davey the Donkey. Side Note: The book mentions that Mary and Joseph knew Jesus would die to save his people. I can't find this anywhere in scripture. {Mary probably expected Jesus to be a political figure who would free the Jews from Roman rule. That's likely how she understood the promise of Jesus as a deliverer, a redeemer, the Messiah. It wasn't until later that she would discover that Jesus had actually come to redeem the whole world, to make us all new. Joseph died sometime before Jesus was crucified.}

We bought this book for my 3 year old. It is much too wordy for him. But we stil really like it. It’ll just be a few years before he can enjoy it as much as we do.

This book has an amazing story and really lays out the salvation story in a way that children will enjoy. That being said this book is quite long. It is probably best for children that are advanced 3 year old's and up. I would imagine the best age range being in the 5's. My son is 3 and doesn't follow along with this book well but enjoys the pictures and talking about the donkey. Once he is older I think he will appreciate the book more but introducing it to him young will make him ask for it when he is older. Overall I highly recommend this book and will be gifting it to a friend who has a son around the same age as ours.

When I picked up this book I expected a straightforward retelling of the Easter events, with some explanation about the significance of the donkey in the Triumphal Entry. This is instead a moral lesson based on Matthew 20:28 - "The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." In the setup, a young boy comes home distraught at being picked last for a game. His grandfather sits down with him and tells the story of Davey the donkey, who learns from his old friend Barnabas that although he was chosen to carry a great King, that didn't mean he was too good for simple roles. The King Himself humbly chose to become a willing servant, so Christians should recognize that every role is important and not seek only prominent positions. After making this point, Grandpa explains that Jesus died to save His people from their sins, bearing their punishment and erasing their guilt. He now reigns forever with His Father, and is worthy of our service. Although the story hangs on the events of Jesus' Passion, burial and resurrection, the main part of it is entirely fictional. We know almost nothing about the real donkey on which the fictional Davey is based, except that he fulfilled the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9. Davey's donkey friend Barnabus, who is supposed to have carried Jesus' mother Mary to Bethlehem, isn't actually mentioned in the Bible at all. Although the meaning of Easter is explained on the last page, the Gospel isn't the main point of the story -- rather, you might say the main point depends on an understanding the Gospel. It's possible that some children reading this may be confused about the historical events of Easter. However, even children usually understand the difference between real animals and anthropomorphized ones. Although I'm usually uncomfortable with embellished Bible stories, if anybody can pull it off without getting into theological trouble it's R.C. Sproul. This book is well-written, interesting and engaging, and attractively illustrated. It has a biblical message, and although its message isn't central to the Easter observance, it could make a good addition to an Easter reading basket.

I love this book. I heard it read to children via Zoom at Moody Church this past Palm Sunday. I ordered a book for each of my grandchildren with the package having their names on it. Due to COVID the shipment came to them today. Then today I ordered me a Kindle version.

I keep the book in our Easter stack. My kids love it. It's written beautifully. It is R.C.Sproul! It teaches the Gospel and a way kids can apply the knowledge in their life. And the pictures are beautiful!

It is very difficult to find Christian children's literature that is also quality. This one is excellent. It is beautiful, and compelling. These are not the most important things, but when it comes to a child selected resource I think they are important. This, however, mentions 3 stories with a donkey from the Bible which I love. It mainly focuses on when Jesus rode the donkey over the palm leaves from the point of view of the donkey. This covers thankfulness, humility, and the Gospel. I loved it and will be purchasing books by the same author. There is so much good in this one I can't even think of any flaws.

we love this book. I am trying to instill a Christ-like attitude in my child at an early age and purchased this for Christmas for him. The pictures are beautiful and the story is precious. This is an exceptional author whose wrote several Christian books.

I'm 10 years old and I got this book for Christmas. I think It teaches very important lessons. To not give up do your best and to do what your told with out complaining. Jesus died on the cross to save us and he wants us to behave good to God and other people. The illustrations are GREAT and the donkey learned not to be sassy and every job is important. Thanks to Mr. Sproul for a good book!😃

Family loves this book, inspirational, god story

The theme of Jesus as servant is proudly on display through this book. My favorite quote from the book, "He took the punishment that they deserved for sinning against a holy God - the punishment you and I deserve. He was a King, but He was a servant to His people." Also, the 'Understanding the Story' section in the back of the book breaks down the story and gives scripture references. This makes for great discussions!! Now, please don't beat me up for this one, but I didn’t like Davey the Donkey, He whined and complained far too much. I always feel that the main character should have strong, likable characteristics. Davey fell short. Also, this book is definitely more moralistic than gospel centered. The emphasis of the book is given to a boy who gets picked last for games so his grandpa tells him the story of Davey the Donkey. Side Note: The book mentions that Mary and Joseph knew Jesus would die to save his people. I can't find this anywhere in scripture. {Mary probably expected Jesus to be a political figure who would free the Jews from Roman rule. That's likely how she understood the promise of Jesus as a deliverer, a redeemer, the Messiah. It wasn't until later that she would discover that Jesus had actually come to redeem the whole world, to make us all new. Joseph died sometime before Jesus was crucified.}

We bought this book for my 3 year old. It is much too wordy for him. But we stil really like it. It’ll just be a few years before he can enjoy it as much as we do.

This book has an amazing story and really lays out the salvation story in a way that children will enjoy. That being said this book is quite long. It is probably best for children that are advanced 3 year old's and up. I would imagine the best age range being in the 5's. My son is 3 and doesn't follow along with this book well but enjoys the pictures and talking about the donkey. Once he is older I think he will appreciate the book more but introducing it to him young will make him ask for it when he is older. Overall I highly recommend this book and will be gifting it to a friend who has a son around the same age as ours.

When I picked up this book I expected a straightforward retelling of the Easter events, with some explanation about the significance of the donkey in the Triumphal Entry. This is instead a moral lesson based on Matthew 20:28 - "The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." In the setup, a young boy comes home distraught at being picked last for a game. His grandfather sits down with him and tells the story of Davey the donkey, who learns from his old friend Barnabas that although he was chosen to carry a great King, that didn't mean he was too good for simple roles. The King Himself humbly chose to become a willing servant, so Christians should recognize that every role is important and not seek only prominent positions. After making this point, Grandpa explains that Jesus died to save His people from their sins, bearing their punishment and erasing their guilt. He now reigns forever with His Father, and is worthy of our service. Although the story hangs on the events of Jesus' Passion, burial and resurrection, the main part of it is entirely fictional. We know almost nothing about the real donkey on which the fictional Davey is based, except that he fulfilled the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9. Davey's donkey friend Barnabus, who is supposed to have carried Jesus' mother Mary to Bethlehem, isn't actually mentioned in the Bible at all. Although the meaning of Easter is explained on the last page, the Gospel isn't the main point of the story -- rather, you might say the main point depends on an understanding the Gospel. It's possible that some children reading this may be confused about the historical events of Easter. However, even children usually understand the difference between real animals and anthropomorphized ones. Although I'm usually uncomfortable with embellished Bible stories, if anybody can pull it off without getting into theological trouble it's R.C. Sproul. This book is well-written, interesting and engaging, and attractively illustrated. It has a biblical message, and although its message isn't central to the Easter observance, it could make a good addition to an Easter reading basket.

I love this book. I heard it read to children via Zoom at Moody Church this past Palm Sunday. I ordered a book for each of my grandchildren with the package having their names on it. Due to COVID the shipment came to them today. Then today I ordered me a Kindle version.

I keep the book in our Easter stack. My kids love it. It's written beautifully. It is R.C.Sproul! It teaches the Gospel and a way kids can apply the knowledge in their life. And the pictures are beautiful!

It is very difficult to find Christian children's literature that is also quality. This one is excellent. It is beautiful, and compelling. These are not the most important things, but when it comes to a child selected resource I think they are important. This, however, mentions 3 stories with a donkey from the Bible which I love. It mainly focuses on when Jesus rode the donkey over the palm leaves from the point of view of the donkey. This covers thankfulness, humility, and the Gospel. I loved it and will be purchasing books by the same author. There is so much good in this one I can't even think of any flaws.

we love this book. I am trying to instill a Christ-like attitude in my child at an early age and purchased this for Christmas for him. The pictures are beautiful and the story is precious. This is an exceptional author whose wrote several Christian books.

I'm 10 years old and I got this book for Christmas. I think It teaches very important lessons. To not give up do your best and to do what your told with out complaining. Jesus died on the cross to save us and he wants us to behave good to God and other people. The illustrations are GREAT and the donkey learned not to be sassy and every job is important. Thanks to Mr. Sproul for a good book!😃

Family loves this book, inspirational, god story

Great book for the Easter season and to help us remember the Easter season throughout the year.

Gave this as a baby gift instead of a card and it is a wonderful story about Jesus the king ❤️

Book was in excellent condition. This story was a great way for my children to hear the story of Jesus!!!

Bought it for an 8 yr old as part of her Easter basket/set. Nice story, good lessons. Might be better for a younger child but good anyways.

This thing is about as long as one of Sproul's messages!

Explain’s the Gospel well and clearly

Great book on the humility of the Christian life for children. My grandson (4) loves it.

Cute. Little lengthy and in depth for my toddler to grasp, but think it will be a better fit as she gets older!

No your typical simple, straight line children book. The teaching in the story is layered and complex even adult can learn great truth from it. Thank you Dr. Sproul!

Gave as Christmas gift.

The theme of Jesus as servant is proudly on display through this book. My favorite quote from the book, "He took the punishment that they deserved for sinning against a holy God - the punishment you and I deserve. He was a King, but He was a servant to His people." Also, the 'Understanding the Story' section in the back of the book breaks down the story and gives scripture references. This makes for great discussions!! Now, please don't beat me up for this one, but I didn’t like Davey the Donkey, He whined and complained far too much. I always feel that the main character should have strong, likable characteristics. Davey fell short. Also, this book is definitely more moralistic than gospel centered. The emphasis of the book is given to a boy who gets picked last for games so his grandpa tells him the story of Davey the Donkey. Side Note: The book mentions that Mary and Joseph knew Jesus would die to save his people. I can't find this anywhere in scripture. {Mary probably expected Jesus to be a political figure who would free the Jews from Roman rule. That's likely how she understood the promise of Jesus as a deliverer, a redeemer, the Messiah. It wasn't until later that she would discover that Jesus had actually come to redeem the whole world, to make us all new. Joseph died sometime before Jesus was crucified.}

We bought this book for my 3 year old. It is much too wordy for him. But we stil really like it. It’ll just be a few years before he can enjoy it as much as we do.

This book has an amazing story and really lays out the salvation story in a way that children will enjoy. That being said this book is quite long. It is probably best for children that are advanced 3 year old's and up. I would imagine the best age range being in the 5's. My son is 3 and doesn't follow along with this book well but enjoys the pictures and talking about the donkey. Once he is older I think he will appreciate the book more but introducing it to him young will make him ask for it when he is older. Overall I highly recommend this book and will be gifting it to a friend who has a son around the same age as ours.

When I picked up this book I expected a straightforward retelling of the Easter events, with some explanation about the significance of the donkey in the Triumphal Entry. This is instead a moral lesson based on Matthew 20:28 - "The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." In the setup, a young boy comes home distraught at being picked last for a game. His grandfather sits down with him and tells the story of Davey the donkey, who learns from his old friend Barnabas that although he was chosen to carry a great King, that didn't mean he was too good for simple roles. The King Himself humbly chose to become a willing servant, so Christians should recognize that every role is important and not seek only prominent positions. After making this point, Grandpa explains that Jesus died to save His people from their sins, bearing their punishment and erasing their guilt. He now reigns forever with His Father, and is worthy of our service. Although the story hangs on the events of Jesus' Passion, burial and resurrection, the main part of it is entirely fictional. We know almost nothing about the real donkey on which the fictional Davey is based, except that he fulfilled the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9. Davey's donkey friend Barnabus, who is supposed to have carried Jesus' mother Mary to Bethlehem, isn't actually mentioned in the Bible at all. Although the meaning of Easter is explained on the last page, the Gospel isn't the main point of the story -- rather, you might say the main point depends on an understanding the Gospel. It's possible that some children reading this may be confused about the historical events of Easter. However, even children usually understand the difference between real animals and anthropomorphized ones. Although I'm usually uncomfortable with embellished Bible stories, if anybody can pull it off without getting into theological trouble it's R.C. Sproul. This book is well-written, interesting and engaging, and attractively illustrated. It has a biblical message, and although its message isn't central to the Easter observance, it could make a good addition to an Easter reading basket.

I love this book. I heard it read to children via Zoom at Moody Church this past Palm Sunday. I ordered a book for each of my grandchildren with the package having their names on it. Due to COVID the shipment came to them today. Then today I ordered me a Kindle version.

I keep the book in our Easter stack. My kids love it. It's written beautifully. It is R.C.Sproul! It teaches the Gospel and a way kids can apply the knowledge in their life. And the pictures are beautiful!

It is very difficult to find Christian children's literature that is also quality. This one is excellent. It is beautiful, and compelling. These are not the most important things, but when it comes to a child selected resource I think they are important. This, however, mentions 3 stories with a donkey from the Bible which I love. It mainly focuses on when Jesus rode the donkey over the palm leaves from the point of view of the donkey. This covers thankfulness, humility, and the Gospel. I loved it and will be purchasing books by the same author. There is so much good in this one I can't even think of any flaws.

we love this book. I am trying to instill a Christ-like attitude in my child at an early age and purchased this for Christmas for him. The pictures are beautiful and the story is precious. This is an exceptional author whose wrote several Christian books.

I'm 10 years old and I got this book for Christmas. I think It teaches very important lessons. To not give up do your best and to do what your told with out complaining. Jesus died on the cross to save us and he wants us to behave good to God and other people. The illustrations are GREAT and the donkey learned not to be sassy and every job is important. Thanks to Mr. Sproul for a good book!😃

Family loves this book, inspirational, god story

It's a good book for kiddos, you can read a good story for them

As promised

Beautiful description of the birth of Christ told from an unlikely participant

The story unfolds in a way that allows one to reflect on the importance of little jobs, as well as, big, grand jobs. Overcome with emotion after reading this book. Worth multiple reads!

Love this! Love that they share the Gospel. It's been a blessing

Excellent for kids of any age

very nice story

Great book, well thought out and well written. Not graphic, age appropiate. Definiatly for little guys ... and gals. My 10 year old liked it to, as well as meM

A sweet story with a deep message

Purchased this book for story time with my kids. They love it. We love the story. We love the message. We love the discussion we have with the kids after reading stories like this.

The theme of Jesus as servant is proudly on display through this book. My favorite quote from the book, "He took the punishment that they deserved for sinning against a holy God - the punishment you and I deserve. He was a King, but He was a servant to His people." Also, the 'Understanding the Story' section in the back of the book breaks down the story and gives scripture references. This makes for great discussions!! Now, please don't beat me up for this one, but I didn’t like Davey the Donkey, He whined and complained far too much. I always feel that the main character should have strong, likable characteristics. Davey fell short. Also, this book is definitely more moralistic than gospel centered. The emphasis of the book is given to a boy who gets picked last for games so his grandpa tells him the story of Davey the Donkey. Side Note: The book mentions that Mary and Joseph knew Jesus would die to save his people. I can't find this anywhere in scripture. {Mary probably expected Jesus to be a political figure who would free the Jews from Roman rule. That's likely how she understood the promise of Jesus as a deliverer, a redeemer, the Messiah. It wasn't until later that she would discover that Jesus had actually come to redeem the whole world, to make us all new. Joseph died sometime before Jesus was crucified.}

We bought this book for my 3 year old. It is much too wordy for him. But we stil really like it. It’ll just be a few years before he can enjoy it as much as we do.

This book has an amazing story and really lays out the salvation story in a way that children will enjoy. That being said this book is quite long. It is probably best for children that are advanced 3 year old's and up. I would imagine the best age range being in the 5's. My son is 3 and doesn't follow along with this book well but enjoys the pictures and talking about the donkey. Once he is older I think he will appreciate the book more but introducing it to him young will make him ask for it when he is older. Overall I highly recommend this book and will be gifting it to a friend who has a son around the same age as ours.

When I picked up this book I expected a straightforward retelling of the Easter events, with some explanation about the significance of the donkey in the Triumphal Entry. This is instead a moral lesson based on Matthew 20:28 - "The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." In the setup, a young boy comes home distraught at being picked last for a game. His grandfather sits down with him and tells the story of Davey the donkey, who learns from his old friend Barnabas that although he was chosen to carry a great King, that didn't mean he was too good for simple roles. The King Himself humbly chose to become a willing servant, so Christians should recognize that every role is important and not seek only prominent positions. After making this point, Grandpa explains that Jesus died to save His people from their sins, bearing their punishment and erasing their guilt. He now reigns forever with His Father, and is worthy of our service. Although the story hangs on the events of Jesus' Passion, burial and resurrection, the main part of it is entirely fictional. We know almost nothing about the real donkey on which the fictional Davey is based, except that he fulfilled the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9. Davey's donkey friend Barnabus, who is supposed to have carried Jesus' mother Mary to Bethlehem, isn't actually mentioned in the Bible at all. Although the meaning of Easter is explained on the last page, the Gospel isn't the main point of the story -- rather, you might say the main point depends on an understanding the Gospel. It's possible that some children reading this may be confused about the historical events of Easter. However, even children usually understand the difference between real animals and anthropomorphized ones. Although I'm usually uncomfortable with embellished Bible stories, if anybody can pull it off without getting into theological trouble it's R.C. Sproul. This book is well-written, interesting and engaging, and attractively illustrated. It has a biblical message, and although its message isn't central to the Easter observance, it could make a good addition to an Easter reading basket.

I love this book. I heard it read to children via Zoom at Moody Church this past Palm Sunday. I ordered a book for each of my grandchildren with the package having their names on it. Due to COVID the shipment came to them today. Then today I ordered me a Kindle version.

I keep the book in our Easter stack. My kids love it. It's written beautifully. It is R.C.Sproul! It teaches the Gospel and a way kids can apply the knowledge in their life. And the pictures are beautiful!

It is very difficult to find Christian children's literature that is also quality. This one is excellent. It is beautiful, and compelling. These are not the most important things, but when it comes to a child selected resource I think they are important. This, however, mentions 3 stories with a donkey from the Bible which I love. It mainly focuses on when Jesus rode the donkey over the palm leaves from the point of view of the donkey. This covers thankfulness, humility, and the Gospel. I loved it and will be purchasing books by the same author. There is so much good in this one I can't even think of any flaws.

we love this book. I am trying to instill a Christ-like attitude in my child at an early age and purchased this for Christmas for him. The pictures are beautiful and the story is precious. This is an exceptional author whose wrote several Christian books.

I'm 10 years old and I got this book for Christmas. I think It teaches very important lessons. To not give up do your best and to do what your told with out complaining. Jesus died on the cross to save us and he wants us to behave good to God and other people. The illustrations are GREAT and the donkey learned not to be sassy and every job is important. Thanks to Mr. Sproul for a good book!😃

Family loves this book, inspirational, god story

I love the illustrations in this book. It is the perfect book for Palm Sunday. I will read this to my Sunday school class next year.

This is a very good book. I would definitely recommend this book to family and friends. RC Sproul does it again.

Great story Grandson loves to read it

Loved this book!

Good story but long

I bought this as a gift and it was gladly received. Illustrations are well done and I'm sure the entire book will be enjoyed.

A great book for children to help them understand the gospel!

My grandkids love this book and have asked for it to be read each night since receiving it as a Christmas gift.

Excellent book! I highly recommend it!

Cool

The theme of Jesus as servant is proudly on display through this book. My favorite quote from the book, "He took the punishment that they deserved for sinning against a holy God - the punishment you and I deserve. He was a King, but He was a servant to His people." Also, the 'Understanding the Story' section in the back of the book breaks down the story and gives scripture references. This makes for great discussions!! Now, please don't beat me up for this one, but I didn’t like Davey the Donkey, He whined and complained far too much. I always feel that the main character should have strong, likable characteristics. Davey fell short. Also, this book is definitely more moralistic than gospel centered. The emphasis of the book is given to a boy who gets picked last for games so his grandpa tells him the story of Davey the Donkey. Side Note: The book mentions that Mary and Joseph knew Jesus would die to save his people. I can't find this anywhere in scripture. {Mary probably expected Jesus to be a political figure who would free the Jews from Roman rule. That's likely how she understood the promise of Jesus as a deliverer, a redeemer, the Messiah. It wasn't until later that she would discover that Jesus had actually come to redeem the whole world, to make us all new. Joseph died sometime before Jesus was crucified.}

We bought this book for my 3 year old. It is much too wordy for him. But we stil really like it. It’ll just be a few years before he can enjoy it as much as we do.

This book has an amazing story and really lays out the salvation story in a way that children will enjoy. That being said this book is quite long. It is probably best for children that are advanced 3 year old's and up. I would imagine the best age range being in the 5's. My son is 3 and doesn't follow along with this book well but enjoys the pictures and talking about the donkey. Once he is older I think he will appreciate the book more but introducing it to him young will make him ask for it when he is older. Overall I highly recommend this book and will be gifting it to a friend who has a son around the same age as ours.

When I picked up this book I expected a straightforward retelling of the Easter events, with some explanation about the significance of the donkey in the Triumphal Entry. This is instead a moral lesson based on Matthew 20:28 - "The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." In the setup, a young boy comes home distraught at being picked last for a game. His grandfather sits down with him and tells the story of Davey the donkey, who learns from his old friend Barnabas that although he was chosen to carry a great King, that didn't mean he was too good for simple roles. The King Himself humbly chose to become a willing servant, so Christians should recognize that every role is important and not seek only prominent positions. After making this point, Grandpa explains that Jesus died to save His people from their sins, bearing their punishment and erasing their guilt. He now reigns forever with His Father, and is worthy of our service. Although the story hangs on the events of Jesus' Passion, burial and resurrection, the main part of it is entirely fictional. We know almost nothing about the real donkey on which the fictional Davey is based, except that he fulfilled the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9. Davey's donkey friend Barnabus, who is supposed to have carried Jesus' mother Mary to Bethlehem, isn't actually mentioned in the Bible at all. Although the meaning of Easter is explained on the last page, the Gospel isn't the main point of the story -- rather, you might say the main point depends on an understanding the Gospel. It's possible that some children reading this may be confused about the historical events of Easter. However, even children usually understand the difference between real animals and anthropomorphized ones. Although I'm usually uncomfortable with embellished Bible stories, if anybody can pull it off without getting into theological trouble it's R.C. Sproul. This book is well-written, interesting and engaging, and attractively illustrated. It has a biblical message, and although its message isn't central to the Easter observance, it could make a good addition to an Easter reading basket.

I love this book. I heard it read to children via Zoom at Moody Church this past Palm Sunday. I ordered a book for each of my grandchildren with the package having their names on it. Due to COVID the shipment came to them today. Then today I ordered me a Kindle version.

I keep the book in our Easter stack. My kids love it. It's written beautifully. It is R.C.Sproul! It teaches the Gospel and a way kids can apply the knowledge in their life. And the pictures are beautiful!

It is very difficult to find Christian children's literature that is also quality. This one is excellent. It is beautiful, and compelling. These are not the most important things, but when it comes to a child selected resource I think they are important. This, however, mentions 3 stories with a donkey from the Bible which I love. It mainly focuses on when Jesus rode the donkey over the palm leaves from the point of view of the donkey. This covers thankfulness, humility, and the Gospel. I loved it and will be purchasing books by the same author. There is so much good in this one I can't even think of any flaws.

we love this book. I am trying to instill a Christ-like attitude in my child at an early age and purchased this for Christmas for him. The pictures are beautiful and the story is precious. This is an exceptional author whose wrote several Christian books.

I'm 10 years old and I got this book for Christmas. I think It teaches very important lessons. To not give up do your best and to do what your told with out complaining. Jesus died on the cross to save us and he wants us to behave good to God and other people. The illustrations are GREAT and the donkey learned not to be sassy and every job is important. Thanks to Mr. Sproul for a good book!😃

Family loves this book, inspirational, god story

Great book with an excellent Biblical message from Dr. Sproul.

This story has a few lessons embedded within it. It shows how even simple jobs are important and how we should not become proud when we do important jobs. Most of all it shows how the the greatest King of all time humbled himself to serve and die for sinners.

Children loved the book!

This book is a great book for a young child. R.C. did an excellent job on this book. Recommend for all families.

What a great book! I love all these books that RC Sproul has done for children.

Excellent!

I was hoping for a great book to read with my son for Palm Sunday but this is not it. The illustrations are beautiful but the book is wordy and the plot is convoluted. I can see how this content could come from a RC Sproul sermon that was then tailored toward children but it isn't good children's literature. It has an awkward frame story about a boy who is sad that he was picked last by his friends and the donkey story is told by his grandfather to help him learn a lesson. The book should start about 5 pages in with the actual story about the Davey the Donkey, after the first story about the boy and a lengthy prologue about famous biblical donkeys. Palm Sunday and Easter are incidental to the story of Davey the Donkey as he learns, with Jesus as an example, that no one is too important to carry whatever load they are asked to carry. An older donkey helps Davey understand the moral of his story and then the grandfather spells it out a second time for his grandson. My four year old son just kept asking where Jesus was in the story. Well intentioned people try to write books for children all the time but it takes actual skill to do it well. This book is dull and the story would be more interesting if it was simply about the donkey who carried Jesus and not about a little boy who somehow is supposed to understand that if Jesus came to be a servant then he can be okay with being chosen last by his friends.

This is such a great christian book for children. I highly recommended it for christian parents looking for great literature.

This book is incredible. I love that the main character (a donkey) who will eventually get to carry Jesus, speaks with another donkey that carried Mary into Bethlehem. It's just precious to recount the plans of God in this unique way. Great story - points to Jesus. Would make a great gift.

The Donkey Who Carried a King teaches about the fact of being content in whatever we are doing and to not become too proud for serving. Read it to the grandchildren and enjoyed

The theme of Jesus as servant is proudly on display through this book. My favorite quote from the book, "He took the punishment that they deserved for sinning against a holy God - the punishment you and I deserve. He was a King, but He was a servant to His people." Also, the 'Understanding the Story' section in the back of the book breaks down the story and gives scripture references. This makes for great discussions!! Now, please don't beat me up for this one, but I didn’t like Davey the Donkey, He whined and complained far too much. I always feel that the main character should have strong, likable characteristics. Davey fell short. Also, this book is definitely more moralistic than gospel centered. The emphasis of the book is given to a boy who gets picked last for games so his grandpa tells him the story of Davey the Donkey. Side Note: The book mentions that Mary and Joseph knew Jesus would die to save his people. I can't find this anywhere in scripture. {Mary probably expected Jesus to be a political figure who would free the Jews from Roman rule. That's likely how she understood the promise of Jesus as a deliverer, a redeemer, the Messiah. It wasn't until later that she would discover that Jesus had actually come to redeem the whole world, to make us all new. Joseph died sometime before Jesus was crucified.}

We bought this book for my 3 year old. It is much too wordy for him. But we stil really like it. It’ll just be a few years before he can enjoy it as much as we do.

This book has an amazing story and really lays out the salvation story in a way that children will enjoy. That being said this book is quite long. It is probably best for children that are advanced 3 year old's and up. I would imagine the best age range being in the 5's. My son is 3 and doesn't follow along with this book well but enjoys the pictures and talking about the donkey. Once he is older I think he will appreciate the book more but introducing it to him young will make him ask for it when he is older. Overall I highly recommend this book and will be gifting it to a friend who has a son around the same age as ours.

When I picked up this book I expected a straightforward retelling of the Easter events, with some explanation about the significance of the donkey in the Triumphal Entry. This is instead a moral lesson based on Matthew 20:28 - "The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." In the setup, a young boy comes home distraught at being picked last for a game. His grandfather sits down with him and tells the story of Davey the donkey, who learns from his old friend Barnabas that although he was chosen to carry a great King, that didn't mean he was too good for simple roles. The King Himself humbly chose to become a willing servant, so Christians should recognize that every role is important and not seek only prominent positions. After making this point, Grandpa explains that Jesus died to save His people from their sins, bearing their punishment and erasing their guilt. He now reigns forever with His Father, and is worthy of our service. Although the story hangs on the events of Jesus' Passion, burial and resurrection, the main part of it is entirely fictional. We know almost nothing about the real donkey on which the fictional Davey is based, except that he fulfilled the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9. Davey's donkey friend Barnabus, who is supposed to have carried Jesus' mother Mary to Bethlehem, isn't actually mentioned in the Bible at all. Although the meaning of Easter is explained on the last page, the Gospel isn't the main point of the story -- rather, you might say the main point depends on an understanding the Gospel. It's possible that some children reading this may be confused about the historical events of Easter. However, even children usually understand the difference between real animals and anthropomorphized ones. Although I'm usually uncomfortable with embellished Bible stories, if anybody can pull it off without getting into theological trouble it's R.C. Sproul. This book is well-written, interesting and engaging, and attractively illustrated. It has a biblical message, and although its message isn't central to the Easter observance, it could make a good addition to an Easter reading basket.

I love this book. I heard it read to children via Zoom at Moody Church this past Palm Sunday. I ordered a book for each of my grandchildren with the package having their names on it. Due to COVID the shipment came to them today. Then today I ordered me a Kindle version.

I keep the book in our Easter stack. My kids love it. It's written beautifully. It is R.C.Sproul! It teaches the Gospel and a way kids can apply the knowledge in their life. And the pictures are beautiful!

It is very difficult to find Christian children's literature that is also quality. This one is excellent. It is beautiful, and compelling. These are not the most important things, but when it comes to a child selected resource I think they are important. This, however, mentions 3 stories with a donkey from the Bible which I love. It mainly focuses on when Jesus rode the donkey over the palm leaves from the point of view of the donkey. This covers thankfulness, humility, and the Gospel. I loved it and will be purchasing books by the same author. There is so much good in this one I can't even think of any flaws.

we love this book. I am trying to instill a Christ-like attitude in my child at an early age and purchased this for Christmas for him. The pictures are beautiful and the story is precious. This is an exceptional author whose wrote several Christian books.

I'm 10 years old and I got this book for Christmas. I think It teaches very important lessons. To not give up do your best and to do what your told with out complaining. Jesus died on the cross to save us and he wants us to behave good to God and other people. The illustrations are GREAT and the donkey learned not to be sassy and every job is important. Thanks to Mr. Sproul for a good book!😃

Family loves this book, inspirational, god story

Precious story that we purchased for each of our nieces and nephews for Easter. Make sure to order it in time for Palm Sunday so they can read it leading up to Easter!

great story -- redemption for donkeys. sturdy/colorful book. great for my grandson who loves donkeys!

Who doesn't love anything by R.C. Sproul Great read for the grands!

Beautiful story for the kids and parents to enjoy!!!

We are big RC Sprout fans. A great book!

Thank you - nice children's book! :-)

We love this book

Very well written and illustrated.

I needed this book for my Tapestry of Grace class. I have ordered many books for my kindle cloud reader and have never had an issue. However with this one some of the pages, the print is extremely small even when adjusting the font. I tried wearing reading glasses and even then it was not magnified enough to read it. So I am unable to use this and will just have to find something comparable on youtube for class

Lovely illustrations, great layout. But the story did not flow. The story seemed contrived.. The little boy is not picked for the team and so he can learn from the Donkey who carried Jesus on Palm Sunday? And then comes my biggest problem with this book. The death and crucifixion of Jesus starts being told on page 24 and it is not until page 33 that they mention, in small print, that Jesus rose from the dead. And then they quickly move on to the real emphasis of this book: the importance of being a servant. I disagree. The real importance is that Jesus loves us and he died to pay the penalty of our sin, and He ROSE again, demonstrating that the Father accepted the atonement.

The theme of Jesus as servant is proudly on display through this book. My favorite quote from the book, "He took the punishment that they deserved for sinning against a holy God - the punishment you and I deserve. He was a King, but He was a servant to His people." Also, the 'Understanding the Story' section in the back of the book breaks down the story and gives scripture references. This makes for great discussions!! Now, please don't beat me up for this one, but I didn’t like Davey the Donkey, He whined and complained far too much. I always feel that the main character should have strong, likable characteristics. Davey fell short. Also, this book is definitely more moralistic than gospel centered. The emphasis of the book is given to a boy who gets picked last for games so his grandpa tells him the story of Davey the Donkey. Side Note: The book mentions that Mary and Joseph knew Jesus would die to save his people. I can't find this anywhere in scripture. {Mary probably expected Jesus to be a political figure who would free the Jews from Roman rule. That's likely how she understood the promise of Jesus as a deliverer, a redeemer, the Messiah. It wasn't until later that she would discover that Jesus had actually come to redeem the whole world, to make us all new. Joseph died sometime before Jesus was crucified.}

We bought this book for my 3 year old. It is much too wordy for him. But we stil really like it. It’ll just be a few years before he can enjoy it as much as we do.

This book has an amazing story and really lays out the salvation story in a way that children will enjoy. That being said this book is quite long. It is probably best for children that are advanced 3 year old's and up. I would imagine the best age range being in the 5's. My son is 3 and doesn't follow along with this book well but enjoys the pictures and talking about the donkey. Once he is older I think he will appreciate the book more but introducing it to him young will make him ask for it when he is older. Overall I highly recommend this book and will be gifting it to a friend who has a son around the same age as ours.

When I picked up this book I expected a straightforward retelling of the Easter events, with some explanation about the significance of the donkey in the Triumphal Entry. This is instead a moral lesson based on Matthew 20:28 - "The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." In the setup, a young boy comes home distraught at being picked last for a game. His grandfather sits down with him and tells the story of Davey the donkey, who learns from his old friend Barnabas that although he was chosen to carry a great King, that didn't mean he was too good for simple roles. The King Himself humbly chose to become a willing servant, so Christians should recognize that every role is important and not seek only prominent positions. After making this point, Grandpa explains that Jesus died to save His people from their sins, bearing their punishment and erasing their guilt. He now reigns forever with His Father, and is worthy of our service. Although the story hangs on the events of Jesus' Passion, burial and resurrection, the main part of it is entirely fictional. We know almost nothing about the real donkey on which the fictional Davey is based, except that he fulfilled the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9. Davey's donkey friend Barnabus, who is supposed to have carried Jesus' mother Mary to Bethlehem, isn't actually mentioned in the Bible at all. Although the meaning of Easter is explained on the last page, the Gospel isn't the main point of the story -- rather, you might say the main point depends on an understanding the Gospel. It's possible that some children reading this may be confused about the historical events of Easter. However, even children usually understand the difference between real animals and anthropomorphized ones. Although I'm usually uncomfortable with embellished Bible stories, if anybody can pull it off without getting into theological trouble it's R.C. Sproul. This book is well-written, interesting and engaging, and attractively illustrated. It has a biblical message, and although its message isn't central to the Easter observance, it could make a good addition to an Easter reading basket.

I love this book. I heard it read to children via Zoom at Moody Church this past Palm Sunday. I ordered a book for each of my grandchildren with the package having their names on it. Due to COVID the shipment came to them today. Then today I ordered me a Kindle version.

I keep the book in our Easter stack. My kids love it. It's written beautifully. It is R.C.Sproul! It teaches the Gospel and a way kids can apply the knowledge in their life. And the pictures are beautiful!

It is very difficult to find Christian children's literature that is also quality. This one is excellent. It is beautiful, and compelling. These are not the most important things, but when it comes to a child selected resource I think they are important. This, however, mentions 3 stories with a donkey from the Bible which I love. It mainly focuses on when Jesus rode the donkey over the palm leaves from the point of view of the donkey. This covers thankfulness, humility, and the Gospel. I loved it and will be purchasing books by the same author. There is so much good in this one I can't even think of any flaws.

we love this book. I am trying to instill a Christ-like attitude in my child at an early age and purchased this for Christmas for him. The pictures are beautiful and the story is precious. This is an exceptional author whose wrote several Christian books.

I'm 10 years old and I got this book for Christmas. I think It teaches very important lessons. To not give up do your best and to do what your told with out complaining. Jesus died on the cross to save us and he wants us to behave good to God and other people. The illustrations are GREAT and the donkey learned not to be sassy and every job is important. Thanks to Mr. Sproul for a good book!😃

Family loves this book, inspirational, god story

Encounters with Jesus can affect people in so many ways. In our own day there are people that use Jesus' teachings to as permission to hate other people, to burden people with requirements on how they should live, and some reject him either quietly or sometimes loudly. Even when Jesus walked on the earth people felt much the same way as they came for healing, for blessing, or to curse and eventually plot to kill him. RC Sproul tells a story of Davey, a little donkey who had a unique encounter with Jesus. Even though he was passed by for other important jobs, Davey was picked to be the one for Jesus to ride into Jerusalem as king on Palm Sunday. On going back home, however, Davey decided that he did not need to do his regular work because he was special enough to carry a king. This book presents a simple, yet challenging story of the life of the Christian. Even though we have been chosen for salvation, we have also been given work to do, and any work assigned by the king is kingly work and should be done in his honor. Davey learns this valuable lesson by witnessing the life of Jesus firsthand and we can learn from his experience and by the witness of the Bible: Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men. Colossians 3:23 With warm and vibrant pictures, Sproul tells Davey's story that intersects with Christ's during Holy Week, but it is not overtly an Easter story. Share this book with your children any time of the year to help them learn the value of their everyday lives in service to God who loves them enough to send his Son to take their place. Note: a copy of this book was provided by the publisher for review. No obligation was given to give the book a positive review; all views expressed are my own and not influenced by the publisher.

This is a terrible book. A kid is being bullied and his grandpa tells him a story about the donkey who carried Jesus into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. The Donkey doesn’t want to do “normal” jobs and another donkey who carried Mary to have Jesus tells him that donkeys do their jobs and to stop complaining. Then the first donkey sees Jesus on the way to be crucified. Not only does the book wade into some questionable theology, but the message is basically Do what you’re told and be glad you have something to do bc Jesus died for you. Such a distorted telling of god’s love for us. I would steer clear of this one.

The Donkey Who Carried A King written by R.C. Sproul and illustrated by Chuck Groenink published is by Reformation Trust Publishing, and is one of the children’s titles currently offered under this publisher. Dr. Sproul is world renown for works on Reformed Theology and Apologetics aimed at adults but The Donkey Who Carried A King is uniquely aimed at conveying the truths of the Bible to young children. The major strength of The Donkey Who Carried A King is the story. The approach this allegory takes is a story within a story while you might think that this may get confusing or exhausting like in other works, that cannot be said of The Donkey Who Carried A King, which is quick and funny. With regard to communicating the truths of God’s Word, Dr. Sproul has gone to great lengths to communicate the Gospel to young children in a manner which they can understand and relate. With regard to the illustration The Donkey Who Carried A King, has vibrant colors and is skillfully drawn so that it not only captures a child’s attention but their imagination as well. The style of illustration is a departure from some of the other children’s books which Dr. Sproul has written, yet in though there is a change of style this allegorical tale greatly benefits from it. If you are looking to purchase The Donkey Who Carried A King, it is a delightfully articulated and beautifully illustrated, the audience is for ages 3 to 7, yet when I read it to my daughter (age under 2) she was captivated the entire time. This book was provided to me free of charge from Reformation Trust Publishing in exchange for an unbiased, honest review.

I have previously enjoyed the author’s Christian children’s book titled The Priest with Dirty Clothes. Written by Christian theologian R.C. Sproul, I appreciated that this book was biblically solid and yet enjoyable for young ones. My three little girls who are all pre-school age also enjoyed this book when I read it aloud to them. The book begins as a story of a child name Reilly who had a hard day since he was picked last in a game among some of the other boys in his neighborhood. I imagine children can relate to Reilly. This event sparked the grandfather to tell a beautiful story from the perspective of the donkey that carried Jesus. RC Sproul has always had a gift of making deep things understandable for lay people and here in this book his skill is also seen in his ability to illustrate the Gospel in ways that children would appreciate. Sproul also draws applications from what Christ has done for little ones as well. I also enjoyed how the book has a section for parents in the end of the book including questions for spiritual conversations with your child and the answer for parents to read and help explain to their children. What a wonderful combination of a Christ centered children’s book with beautiful illustrations, and help for the parents! I recommend this.

It was my pleasure to review this adorable children's book. It starts out with Reilly, a little boy who is sad because the other children pick him last for sports. His grandfather decides to share with him the story of Davey the Donkey, who carried Jesus on Palm Sunday. I admit I get skittish about kids being taught Bible stories with extra details that aren't in the Bible itself. I get concerned they might remember "Davey" or other details as "gospel truth" and therefore have a wrong impression of Biblical Truth. However, I think that the way that Sproul introduces this as a story told by Reilly's grandfather combined with the "Understanding the Story" section in the back of the book help alleviate those concerns. I thought it was really cool that not only did the story talk about Davey's experiences with Jesus, we also heard a couple stories of "famous donkeys in history" like the donkey which talked to Baalam and the donkey which carried Mary and witnessed our Lord's birth. The message of the story is about gratitude and contentment, especially in light of Christ's love and sacrifice for us. It encourages children and readers of all ages to have a willing, serving heart. My favorite part is actually the illustrations. I love Davey and think your kids will too; he's so cute! I definitely recommend this book to add to your child's library. I received this book free from the publisher in exchanged for my unbiased review.

There are many kid’s books out there that share Biblical stories, but The Donkey Who Carried a King by R.C. Sproul is a special work. Reilly, a young boy, feels left out and his Grandfather decide to tell him the story of Davey the donkey. Davey is chosen to carry Jesus during his triumphant entry. After the event Davey meets up with Barnabas, another donkey, who lets Davey know that under no uncertain terms does he get out of work just because he carried a king. Davey isn’t happy about it but he complies. As Davey is doing his work he sees Jesus, the King, carrying the cross on the way to Calvary. Davey is perplexed and stressed because of what he sees. Davey asks Barnabas why this is happening because it doesn’t seem fair. Barnabas explains to Davey that this day was coming all along. He knew about it because he too had carried Jesus with his mother Mary. After the story finishes, Grandpa explains to Reilly that sometimes we have to do things or endure things that are not pleasant for us just like Jesus did for us. This charming story helps explain to kids the suffering Jesus endured for us after being hailed as king just a week prior. The book includes questions for parents to work through with their kids to gain a better understanding of the concepts and truths presented in the book. With a captivating story, amazing illustrations, and great resources for parents to train their children, I give The Donkey Who Carried a King five stars. Disclaimer: I received this book free from Reformation Trust in exchange for an honest review.

I’m not a big fan of Bible stories with talking animals who weren’t really talking in the Bible’s actual accounts. This book, unfortunately, is just that. It features the donkey that carried Jesus into Jerusalem as one who supposedly needed to learn to be a servant. The attached moral ending also doesn’t really jive well with the story’s plot. Maybe that is because I always associate the telling of Jesus’ journey to the cross as ending in a clear, resurrection-based Gospel presentation: Jesus died and rose again to save us from our sins. For the most part, this book presents Jesus going to the cross and ends with him still dead while an older donkey explains to a younger donkey that we are to be servants like Jesus. The lack of emphasis given to the resurrection of Jesus seems particularly striking in light of the book's emphasis on Jesus' death. It’s also what gives the book a moralistic rather than Gospel-centered tone. This is not the sense that I get from RC Sproul in general, though, so I will be giving the book further read-throughs to see if I need to change my perspective. The illustrations are enjoyable but not particularly noteworthy. I do appreciate Sproul’s attempt to interact children’s feelings of hurt and rejection with direct reference to Jesus’ crucifixion,but explicit moral imperatives akin to “you should be happy with being picked last because the donkey in the story wasn’t picked at all” will fall flat with hearts that are truly stinging from rejection. Unfortunately, I think my children (4, 3, 2, and 3.5 months) will agree that this is not one of Sproul’s better books. (Thanks to Reformation Trust for providing me a free copy of the book in exchange for this review.)

Just in time for Easter, R.C. Sproul has written a new book titled, "The Donkey Who Carried a King." This children's picture book focuses on lessons of contentment and humble service, like that of our Savior. Following the pattern of many of Dr. Sproul's other children's stories, the main character has a problem and a close family member tells a story, often an allegory, to help them solve the problem. This story begins with a little boy who was continually being picked last to play games with his friends. He was quite upset so his grandfather told him a story about a donkey named Davey who was never picked for any jobs. Then one day, he was given the important job of carrying a King into Jerusalem. After this experience, he grew prideful and grumbled about other jobs he received, thinking he was too good for them. Until the day this donkey saw the King being taken up a hill with a cross on his back. He was very upset about the way the King was being treated. Davey ended up having a talk with an older, wiser donkey and learned lessons on humility, service, and contentment. The grandfather concludes with the real story about Jesus, the Humble Servant King. At the end of the book is a series of discussion questions for parents to use in helping children understand the meaning behind the story. We have a few of Dr. Sproul's other children's books and love each and every one of them. I appreciate how he uses allegory to teach a spiritual truth. My children find the stories engaging and meaningful. The Donkey Who Carried a King was a fun read with my children, sparking enlightening conversations. The illustrations are engaging and interesting to young eyes. This is an excellent book that teaches children not only about following Jesus' example of humble service, but more importantly, about Jesus, the Servant King who carried the burden of our sins on the cross.

I have been immensely blessed by the teaching of RC Sproul and I love the fact that he has written some children’s books that will allow me to introduce his teaching to my children early. I received a review copy from Reformation Trust of his book The Donkey Who Carried a King and it was all that I expected and more. The Donkey Who Carried a King is what you would expect from a kid’s book by R.C. Sproul. It is solid theologically, engaging in tone (the story is told in the manner of a grandfather encouraging his grandchild…you can almost hear R.C. saying the words), and just plain fun. Sproul tells the story of Davey the Donkey who carried the King into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. Sproul tells a fun story with a clear Gospel presentation. The book is also beautifully illustrated. I say that this book was more than I expected because I pretty much expected all of that but there is more. After the story there are a few pages of questions and answers that allow this book to be utilized as more than just a bedtime story(although it could serve that purpose quite well). The Donkey Who Carried a King is a fun book to share with your kids that will begin multiple discussions, most importantly about the Gospel.

"The biblical teaching that Jesus was the Suffering Servant who carried the sins of His people when He went to the cross is vividly brought home to children in The Donkey Who Carried a King, the latest children's book from respected theologian, author, and educator Dr. R.C. Sproul. Davey was a young donkey who was bored and unhappy because he was never given anything to do. Then one day, some strangers came to the gate--and Davey's master picked him for a very special task. Davey carried the King, Jesus, into Jerusalem. A few days later, Davey saw some angry people making the King carry a heavy beam of wood. Davey could not understand it--until another donkey helped him see that the King was being a Servant on behalf of His people. The Donkey Who Carried a King offers a unique perspective on the events of Jesus' Passion Week and calls all believers, both young and old, to follow in the footsteps of the Suffering Servant for the glory of God. Jesus was willing to leave the glories of heaven to suffer and die in this world on our behalf, so we should serve Him with all our hearts." (From the Reformation Trust Publisher's Website) About the Author: Dr. Robert Charles Sproul (born 1939 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) is an American, Calvinist theologian, and pastor. He is the founder and chairman of Ligonier Ministries (named after the Ligonier Valley just outside of Pittsburgh, where the ministry started as a study center for college and seminary students) and can be heard daily on the Renewing Your Mind radio broadcast in the United States and throughout 60 countries. Ligonier hosts several theological conferences each year, including the main conference held each year in Orlando, Florida, at which Sproul is one of the primary speakers. Sproul holds degrees from Westminster College, Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, the Free University of Amsterdam, and Whitefield Theological Seminary, and he has taught at numerous colleges and seminaries, including Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando and Knox Theological Seminary in Ft. Lauderdale. Currently, he is Senior Minister of Preaching and Teaching at Saint Andrew's Chapel in Sanford, Florida, where he began preaching in 1997. R. C. Sproul is married to Vesta Ann of Pittsburgh, PA. They have two grown children - a daughter, Sherrie Sproul Dick, and a son, R. C. Sproul, Jr. Dr. R. C. Sproul, Jr., is a theologian and a strong supporter of homeschooling, traditional family roles, and limited government. (Sources - Ligonier Ministries and Wikipedia. Much thanks to John Cobb and Toni Roth of Ligonier Ministries for their provision of Dr. Sproul's biographical and bibliographical information). My Thoughts About the Book: Never let it be said than an adult can not enjoy reading a good children's book because it just isn't true. I for one still enjoy reading a well-written children's book from time to time to bring out the heart of the child that still beats within me. And The Donkey Who Carried A King is such a book. The Donkey Who Carried A King is a delightful, beautifully illustrated and thoroughly captivating read about an ordinary Donkey named Davey. The story as told by a grandfather to his grandson named Reilly is about Davey, a donkey who lived in village close to Jerusalem, who never got picked to do anything while all the other donkeys had some type of work to do. Reilly had a similar situation that was troubling him. When he played with the boys from his neighborhood he was always picked last and it hurt him. In the book we read about the famous "Balaam's Donkey" written of in the Bible as well as about Barnabas, a donkey belonging to Joseph and Mary, the mother of Christ who carried her to Bethlehem so she could give birth to her son Jesus. Well, time passed and finally one day Davey the donkey was picked by his master to do a very important task. He was selected for Christ to ride upon as He made his Triumphal Entry into the city of Jerusalem. Davey had been selected to carry a king...but not just any king...he carried Jesus Christ, the King of Kings, on his back and it made him feel very happy and proud. But after that Davey was put to work carrying ordinary things and he did not like that one bit...he felt he was better at doing the "special jobs, like carrying important people." One morning Davey was led back to the outskirts of Jerusalem where he saw Jesus again, only this time he was not riding a donkey, but rather, he was carrying a cross. And Davey wanted badly to carry the cross for Jesus but he couldn't. When he returned home he went to old Barnabas and told him what he had seen that day. Barnabas shared with Davey that when he had carried Mary the mother of Jesus on his back, he learned that one day Jesus would die to bring salvation to his people. From what Barnabas had shared with him, Davey understood that Jesus, the king he had carried on his back, was being a servant for others. And he learned from that, that if Jesus who was a king could serve others in such a way, then he could serve his master willingly by carrying his olives. The grandfather paused in sharing Davey's story with Reilly to teach him a valuable lesson from the life of Davey and that is that he should be thankful when chosen last to play games with the boys in the neighborhood and content with whatever he was asked to do. Reilly's grandfather ended his story by telling him about Jesus the King and how he died on the cross as the suffering servant to his people. But as Reilly's grandfather shared with him the story did not end with the death of Christ. Christ rose from the dead making "him the greatest King of all." And with that Reilly concluded that he wanted to serve Jesus and do whatever He asked him to do, "whether it's a little job or something very important." And that my friends is a lesson we all need to learn - both child and adult. Disclosure of Material Connection: I received the book at no cost from Reformation Trust Publishers for review and promotional purposes. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

The theme of Jesus as servant is proudly on display through this book. My favorite quote from the book, "He took the punishment that they deserved for sinning against a holy God - the punishment you and I deserve. He was a King, but He was a servant to His people." Also, the 'Understanding the Story' section in the back of the book breaks down the story and gives scripture references. This makes for great discussions!! Now, please don't beat me up for this one, but I didn’t like Davey the Donkey, He whined and complained far too much. I always feel that the main character should have strong, likable characteristics. Davey fell short. Also, this book is definitely more moralistic than gospel centered. The emphasis of the book is given to a boy who gets picked last for games so his grandpa tells him the story of Davey the Donkey. Side Note: The book mentions that Mary and Joseph knew Jesus would die to save his people. I can't find this anywhere in scripture. {Mary probably expected Jesus to be a political figure who would free the Jews from Roman rule. That's likely how she understood the promise of Jesus as a deliverer, a redeemer, the Messiah. It wasn't until later that she would discover that Jesus had actually come to redeem the whole world, to make us all new. Joseph died sometime before Jesus was crucified.}

We bought this book for my 3 year old. It is much too wordy for him. But we stil really like it. It’ll just be a few years before he can enjoy it as much as we do.

This book has an amazing story and really lays out the salvation story in a way that children will enjoy. That being said this book is quite long. It is probably best for children that are advanced 3 year old's and up. I would imagine the best age range being in the 5's. My son is 3 and doesn't follow along with this book well but enjoys the pictures and talking about the donkey. Once he is older I think he will appreciate the book more but introducing it to him young will make him ask for it when he is older. Overall I highly recommend this book and will be gifting it to a friend who has a son around the same age as ours.

When I picked up this book I expected a straightforward retelling of the Easter events, with some explanation about the significance of the donkey in the Triumphal Entry. This is instead a moral lesson based on Matthew 20:28 - "The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." In the setup, a young boy comes home distraught at being picked last for a game. His grandfather sits down with him and tells the story of Davey the donkey, who learns from his old friend Barnabas that although he was chosen to carry a great King, that didn't mean he was too good for simple roles. The King Himself humbly chose to become a willing servant, so Christians should recognize that every role is important and not seek only prominent positions. After making this point, Grandpa explains that Jesus died to save His people from their sins, bearing their punishment and erasing their guilt. He now reigns forever with His Father, and is worthy of our service. Although the story hangs on the events of Jesus' Passion, burial and resurrection, the main part of it is entirely fictional. We know almost nothing about the real donkey on which the fictional Davey is based, except that he fulfilled the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9. Davey's donkey friend Barnabus, who is supposed to have carried Jesus' mother Mary to Bethlehem, isn't actually mentioned in the Bible at all. Although the meaning of Easter is explained on the last page, the Gospel isn't the main point of the story -- rather, you might say the main point depends on an understanding the Gospel. It's possible that some children reading this may be confused about the historical events of Easter. However, even children usually understand the difference between real animals and anthropomorphized ones. Although I'm usually uncomfortable with embellished Bible stories, if anybody can pull it off without getting into theological trouble it's R.C. Sproul. This book is well-written, interesting and engaging, and attractively illustrated. It has a biblical message, and although its message isn't central to the Easter observance, it could make a good addition to an Easter reading basket.

I love this book. I heard it read to children via Zoom at Moody Church this past Palm Sunday. I ordered a book for each of my grandchildren with the package having their names on it. Due to COVID the shipment came to them today. Then today I ordered me a Kindle version.

I keep the book in our Easter stack. My kids love it. It's written beautifully. It is R.C.Sproul! It teaches the Gospel and a way kids can apply the knowledge in their life. And the pictures are beautiful!

It is very difficult to find Christian children's literature that is also quality. This one is excellent. It is beautiful, and compelling. These are not the most important things, but when it comes to a child selected resource I think they are important. This, however, mentions 3 stories with a donkey from the Bible which I love. It mainly focuses on when Jesus rode the donkey over the palm leaves from the point of view of the donkey. This covers thankfulness, humility, and the Gospel. I loved it and will be purchasing books by the same author. There is so much good in this one I can't even think of any flaws.

we love this book. I am trying to instill a Christ-like attitude in my child at an early age and purchased this for Christmas for him. The pictures are beautiful and the story is precious. This is an exceptional author whose wrote several Christian books.

I'm 10 years old and I got this book for Christmas. I think It teaches very important lessons. To not give up do your best and to do what your told with out complaining. Jesus died on the cross to save us and he wants us to behave good to God and other people. The illustrations are GREAT and the donkey learned not to be sassy and every job is important. Thanks to Mr. Sproul for a good book!😃

Family loves this book, inspirational, god story

My husband and I have lately become convicted about making the Easter holiday more of a big deal for our budding family. Like many Americans, we've allowed Christmas to monopolize our holiday calendar, giving it the anticipation, preparation & financial devotion that may more rightly belong to Easter. Of all the days to celebrate for a Christian, Easter is arguably top-notch. So, this year, Mike and I have allowed ourselves to begin to imagine and create ways to make Easter extra-special for ourselves and our kids. For our family, R.C. Sproul's "The Donkey Who Carried a King" earns its rightful place among a small, but growing list of resources that will help to make Easter special. As a picture book with a healthy amount of text per page, this book appears to be written for the pre-school through pre-teen audience. The first two things that catch my attention as I open "The Donkey Who Carried a King" are the rich, magical illustrations, and gorgeous graphic design. Yum. (For an artist, you have to understand--the appreciation of these elements is almost palpable.) The book startles me by opening in a modern day setting. I am expecting to be ushered into Sunday school class story time with "Once upon a time there was a donkey..." so this detour is a fun surprise. Again, Sproul's writing catches me off-guard, as the plot lands where I expect it to finish and I'm only half-way through the book. It's like watching a delicious movie and getting to where you think the credits are going to roll... then you look at the progress bar, and see that you've still got 59 minutes to go. Pure entertainment bliss. But, finally "The Donkey Who Carried a King" rounds out its beauty by being inspiring, not preachy. Christ-centered, not legalistic. And multi-faceted, not simplistic. This one will go in the Costanzo family Easter library to be brought out year after year as our kids grow. I received "The Donkey Who Carried a King" free from the publisher as compensation for my review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

In a similar manner to several books I've recently read, The Donkey Who Carried a King seeks to integrate scripture and "real life" by depicting current-day characters interacting with characters in a biblical story, or by relating scriptural characters' experiences to a present-day situation. In this instance, Reilly is a young American or Canadian (I believe, since he calls his mother "Mom") boy who isn't as popular at school as he'd like to be, so Reilly's grandfather decides to tell the Palm Sunday / Passion Week story of Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Yesterday was Palm Sunday 2013! Again we heard "The Lord has need!" "Hosanna!" "If these were silent, the stones would shout!" As many churches have been doing for a couple of decades, we celebrated Palm/Passion Sunday, moving too swiftly from Jesus' palms- and praise-surrounded triumphal entry to the walk with the cross, to the cross of crucifixion. As part of creating context, author Sproul reminds us of other donkeys in the bible: diviner Balaam's donkey in Numbers 22; and Joseph's donkey - called "Barnabas" here - who carried Jesus of Nazareth's mother Mary. Through the voice of Davey the Donkey, Reilly's grandfather explains to his young grandson a servant God dying to self, and rising to new life for the redemption of the world, along with God's call to us to live as a servant creation--whether donkey or human. For the Parents / Understanding the Story at the end of the book lines out some scriptural and doctrinal background. It's not comprehensive, but it is a good start in terms of reminding or teaching parents some basics and helping them explain to younger kids how the story of Donkey Davey and King Jesus is part of a larger, historically, and theologically interwoven fabric that also calls and enables us to live as servants. Chuck Groenink's earthen-hued illustrations of both contemporary and biblical scenes are exceptionally beautiful. The book design also is exquisite, with some pages of text on a plain white background, others with words superimposed on the illustrations themselves. I realize R.C. Sproul is more accustomed to writing heavy-duty theology for adults than explanations for young people, yet he does well with this relatively simple account that alternates between donkey Davey and boy Reilly. The Donkey Who Carried a King could be a valuable addition to church or family Lenten, Palm Sunday, or Good Friday activities. Legal note - Disclosure of Material Connection - in accordance with Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR. Part 255: I received this book free from Reformation Trust, and was not required to write a positive review.

This book is destined to become an Easter classic for families and children! I loved the way it combined so many wonderful lessons and spiritual truths and shared the Easter story in such a unique way. The story begins when a young boy named Reilly is talking to his father and grandfather about his problem of picked last for games. His grandfather sympathizes and tells him of a little donkey in Jerusalem named Davey. Davey was sad because he had never been called to do any job. He just stayed in his pen all day. The other donkeys tell him about famous donkeys in history: Balaam's donkey and the one that carried Mary to Bethlehem for the birth of Christ. One day his life changes and Davey's master chooses him to carry Christ through the streets on Palm Sunday. After carrying a king he becomes very prideful and is unhappy with the regular jobs assigned him. One day while working, he witnesses Christ carrying the cross to his crucifixion. Davey is upset that the King would have to do such a demeaning job. An old donkey tells him how Christ was being a servant to mankind. Davey realizes if Christ can bear His cross then he can bear his loads without complaining. Reilly's grandfather not only uses Davy's lesson to teach him about being grateful for what he is chosen to play but also being humble and not always expecting the best places. Mr. Sproul beautifully shares not only Christ's death and resurrection, but also the plan of salvation. At the end of the book, there are wonderful questions and answers about the story to help children to understand the story and apply the truths in it. I can't emphasize enough what an outstanding delightful book this is! One every parent and grandparent will want for their library. I received this book free from the Reformation Trust Publishing in exchange for my review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255

With Palm Sunday just past and Easter approaching, I was reminded of a The Donkey Who Carried a King, a children's book written by R.C. Sproul, with earthy-toned illustrations by Chuck Groenink. Although it's title could hint towards it being a story about Palm Sunday, the triumphal entry is really only given a page spread in the book, as it's about so much more. Sproul's frame narrative begins with a little boy Reilly walking home from a day playing with friends. He is sad because he was chosen last in their game. His parents direct him to the sage advice of his grandfather who then tells him the story of a donkey named Davey. Davey was a young colt who had yet to be chosen for any task. When he is finally chosen, it is to carry Christ in His triumphal entry through the streets of Jerusalem. After this privilege, Davey sees himself as too important for the trivial assignments given to him by his owner. Through the wise words of an older donkey, Barnabas, as well as later watching Christ walk to his crucifixion, Davey learns the lessons of servanthood, obedience and a joyful heart. As with some of Sproul's other tales, my four-year old wasn't as interested with the story of Reilly so much as he was with the story of Davey. He did have empathy towards Reilly, especially as he recently had been told by another little boy that they were not friends (The beginning of many scars that will happen in his life, I'm sure, but still hard to take in!). He also enjoyed guessing the Bible stories when the donkeys were talking about their famous predecessors. I once again appreciated how Sproul includes in both narratives the involvement of the generations and the father looking to the older grandfather as a source of wisdom (Job 12:12). There were many wonderful nuggets and lessons tucked into the story and expounded upon in a 3-pg discussion portion at the end of the book. The main lesson being that Christ's life was one of servanthood reflected throughout His life and ministry, and is an example to us, His followers (Matthew 20:28). I loved that Sproul uses the term "master" when the two donkeys speak of their owner. It makes reality hit home more when the older Barnabas instructs, "...whatever the master decides to put on our backs. Every job is important, even carrying a sack of olives, and you should do your best to do it well." The story shows how God chose Jesus for the worst job- taking the sins of mankind with Him upon the cross; with whatever task we have before us, we should perform it diligently with a cheerful heart for the Lord (Colossians 3:23, I Thess 5:16-18). A good lesson when reinforcing the menial tasks around the house (and a good reminder for this Mama when she is often weary from her calling)! This was a good reinforcement for my young child, who is already constantly trying to be a servant and knight. In addition, both the donkey and the boy struggle with identity and purpose, areas where I think many can relate as well. I was able to use this to show my son that we are children of the King and He is our faithful Friend and will never forsake us. In conclusion, our family enjoyed this book and I would recommend it, again, not as a book specifically about Easter week (though the story finishes with Christ's resurrection and the resulting hope for mankind from His shed blood), but as one to help establish biblical character traits. I do enjoy adding it to our books we read during this Easter season however, as it adds a side narrative to the already well-known story and celebration in our home. Disclosure of Material Connection: I will receive this book free from the publisher in exchange for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

My daughters have amassed quite a collection of children's book. I'm hoping and praying that my love for books and reading is passed along to them. So far so good. My oldest has her own bookshelf in her room and it's brimming with books. My wife and I are always on the look out for a good kids book to add to her library. I've found quite a few but it's harder to find good ones that are written skillfully from an explicitly Christian worldview. Glad to say The Donkey Who Carried a King delivers. If you haven't already checked out R. C. Sproul's children books then head on over to Reformation Trust and check them out. The stories are simple yet skilfully written and provide the opportunity to speak to our children about the gospel after reading them. What's more the illustrations are top notch as well. It's not your cheesy kids bible story books from the 80's. The Donkey Who Carried a King is the story of Reilly a boy who feels discouraged he is being picked last by the kids at school and Davey the donkey who carried Jesus into Jerusalem during his Triumphal Entry. Sproul skillfully weaves these story into the Gospel Story. Sproul ends with Davey looking on as Jesus is carrying the cross and Reilly's grandpa explaining, "Reilly until that day when Davey was picked to carry Jesus into Jerusalem, he had never been given anything to do. His master never picked him for even the easiest task. But the other boys do pick you for your games. So I'd like you to try to be thankful you have a chance to play. Can you do that for me, Reilly?" "Yes, Grandpa," Reilly said. "You're right. I know I should be thankful that I get to play, even if I"m chosen last." "Good," Grandpa said with a smile. "Also, do you best to be content with whatever you are asked to do because every player and every role is important. If you are picked to do something special, don't get proud like Davey. If you are given a job that doesn't seem to be so much fun, do your best at your job anyway. Remember that God the Father chose Jesus for the worst job of all, but He did it willingly to please His Father and to save His people." (p. 30) The story reminded me of Jesus sitting the crowds of people by the Galilean Sea and telling them a parable. Sproul ends the book with questions to help understand the story and apply the truth of the gospel. I've found reading this book and others like it helps me as a parent respond to every day situations with my children that require a deft hand applying the gospel. It's exercising a muscle all parents must develop. A free copy of this book was provided by Reformation Trust.

My kids (especially my five and seven-year old) have asked me to read "The Donkey Who Carried A King" again and again in the short time since we have received it. Sproul helps kids deal with real-life struggles by pointing them to our Savior who suffered beyond what we can imagine. He also brings children important lessons about gratitude and true servanthood. Most significantly, Dr. Sproul clearly shares the Good News: "Jesus died on a cross that day. When He died, He gave His life to save His people from their sins. In a way, he carried their sin and their guilt. By dying for them, He took the punishment that they deserved for sinning against a holy God -- the punishment that you and I deserve. He was a king, but He was a servant to His people" (pg. 33). Furthermore, Sproul shares that Jesus didn't stay dead but was raised on the third day and reigns forever with His Father in Heaven. Like several of Sproul's other children's books, The Donkey Who Carried A King includes helpful questions, answers, and Scriptures at the conclusion of the book to help parents and children better understand the message of the story. I pray that this touching book will be beneficial to many families who are seeking to impart Gospel truth to the children in their lives and am happy to recommend it to you. *Many thanks to Reformation Trust Publishing for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion!

The Donkey who Carried a King is a children’s story written by Dr. R.C. Sproul of Sanford, Florida. The illustrator was Chuck Groenink. The story starts out with a little boy named Reilly who was getting picked on by other boys he was playing with. His Grandpa comes into the picture and tells Reilly a story of a donkey named Davey who carried the King (Christ) into Jerusalem. Throughout Davey’s life he never got to do anything but eat and sleep all day. One day, Davey was chosen to carry Christ into Jerusalem. This little donkey felt very special for such a task to carry a King. The story goes on to explain that Christ came to die for His people and to serve. During the storyline, Davey turns into an everyday working donkey who was grumpy and did not like his seemingly meaningless work. Davey realizes that if the King came to serve then Davey should be a willing servant as well. The story is brought home when Grandpa asks Reilly to be thankful, joyful, and content with the work God has placed before him. “Remember that God the Father chose Jesus for the worst job of all, but He did it willingly to please His Father and to save His people.” This story gives a practical example of how children can learn of Christ’s work on the cross. How often do our kids get picked on, don’t want to do their chores, or get upset when things don’t go their way? The Donkey who Carried a King gives the kids a way to understand more of what Christ had to go through in order to be obedient to the Father. In Philippians 2:8 it says, “…He [Jesus] humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” Our kids will get a taste of the importance of doing everything for God’s glory without grumbling no matter how small the task. If Christ was obedient, humble, joyful, and content we should be as well. At first reading this story I was not as satisfied as I have been with other children’s books of Reformation Trust Publishing. I was thinking this until I read the questions for the parent to child discussion in the back of the book. There I saw so many more of the little details Dr. Sproul sprinkled throughout the book. I recommend the parents to read these questions to themselves before reading the book to your child and definitely go over the questions with the child. This will add to the learning experience. I can see this book being for children ages 5-10. Get this book if: Your child is having problem with complaining, being self centered, or is having trouble with other kids. *Reviewer will receive a copy of the book due to writing an honest review

What I did like: 1. Dialogue is witty and engaging - a great read-aloud choice! 2. No images of Christ's face plus quality illustrations - We use picture books with reverent pictures of Christ, but many of my friends do not. The quality of illustrations and story is significantly higher than any other of the Easter books I have seen that do not portray Christ. 3. Warm familial atmosphere - Sproul shows a family where children love and listen to their grandparents, and grandparents are interested in and teach their grandchildren. 4. The back of the book contains a useful index of questions and answers for parents wanting to teach their children about The Resurrection. What I didn't like: 1. The didactic elements of the book overshadow the story 2. Longer than necessary 3. The emphasis on service to others takes attention away from the magnificence of the Easter story itself and could give the impression that Christ's sacrifice was merely an example. 4. The story was a bit of a stretch in parts (but . . . maybe that's Grampa's fault) If you have convictions against books that portray Christ, I definitely would recommend that you consider getting this book as it's quality is far above most other books in that category. For those who do allow for images of Christ, I would still recommend this book, but maybe supplemented with either Brian Wildsmith's The Easter Story or Mary Joslin's On That Easter Morning. Summary: The Donkey Who Carried a King In R.C. Sproul's familiar story-within-a-story format, modern day Reilly comes home from school crying because the other boys at school have been selecting him last for sports. His mother and father sympathetically listen, but Grandpa comes to the rescue with a story: The Donkey Who Carried a King. Once in Jerusalem, a little donkey named Davey was discouraged because he was young and had never been chosen to carry anything. One day as he was contemplating his dull life, he overheard two men talking to his master. They wanted him for a special task: carrying the king Jesus. Davey carried Jesus with pride that day. Beginning the next day, Davey is chosen to work like the other donkeys. Instead of feeling joy at being chosen for labor, he grumbles thinking that a donkey who carried a king deserves better tasks. One day while working and complaining, Davey sees a violent crowd gathering around Jesus who is carrying a heavy cross, and Davey can do nothing to help him. Later Davey realizes that Christ served mankind by carrying the cross to his death, and Davey should follow his example by willingly serving others. At this point Grandpa helps Reilly understand that he should be thankful to be chosen and should play with a selfless spirit. He also finishes the Easter story reminding Reilly of the reason for Christ's death and the joy of The Resurrection.

The Donkey Who Carried a King by R.C. Sproul is a short children's book loaded with great art and a brief story that helps illustrate some important theological principles. Sproul tells the story of a donkey who carried Jesus (which points to the Triumphal Entry). The donkey, who struggles with his lot in life, saw Jesus carry one of the beams of the cross and witnessed the persecution he endured. Ultimately, the story drives home the message of substitutionary atonement and sacrificial love. Several questions are included at the end of the book; questions that are designed to help parents guide their children down the right theological path - a path that leads to eternal life. R.C. has done it again. In a few short pages, he has captured some crucial theological realities - pictures included! Children can thank one of the most important theologians of our generation. "Thanks Dr. Sproul for bringing the cookies to the bottom shelf!" Share this:

The Donkey Who Carried a King was written by R.C. Sproul and illustrated by Chuck Groenink. This picture book presents young readers with an interesting look at the events surrounding Jesus' death. The book begins with the story of Reilly, a young boy who feels dejected because he is continually the last one picked when playing games with the other boys. His grandpa tells him the story of Davey, a donkey who lived long ago. Davey was never given any jobs to do, until one day some men came looking for him. Davey ends up carrying Jesus into Jerusalem as people put their coats down, wave palm branches, and shout praises to the King. Davey feels special that he was given such an important job; however, after this experience, he feels too important to do menial tasks. However, after their elders help them realize that Jesus was willing to carry the cross, Davey and Reilly decide that they should do whatever task God gives them to do, whether big and glorious or small and seemingly insignificant. This is an important truth for all Christians to grasp. Children will connect with the feelings and experiences of eight-year-old Reilly, and they will also enjoy hearing the biblical story from an animal's viewpoint. I liked the subtle historical details that were woven into the story such as the reference to famous donkeys in history, including Balaam's donkey. I believe that the illustrations were culturally accurate, from the appearance and clothing of the people, to the wall around the city and writing inscribed above the doors of the houses. The illustrations throughout the story and on the cover and end pages used earth-tone colors, which seemed appropriate for the story. The font size of the words on some pages varied, larger at the top of the page and smaller at the bottom, which I did not feel was necessary, but it did not take away from the overall story. At the end of the book, there is a section for parents featuring questions and answers for discussion, along with Bible passages and application points. This section helps to further explain the meaning of the events in the story. This would be a good book to read on Palm Sunday as Holy Week begins to help children learn what happened during these events. The book goes beyond the Triumphal Entry to talk about Jesus' journey to the cross, helping children to better understand the reason Jesus had to die. Disclosure: I am to receive a free copy of this book from Reformation Trust Publishing as compensation for my review.

The theme of Jesus as servant is proudly on display through this book. My favorite quote from the book, "He took the punishment that they deserved for sinning against a holy God - the punishment you and I deserve. He was a King, but He was a servant to His people." Also, the 'Understanding the Story' section in the back of the book breaks down the story and gives scripture references. This makes for great discussions!! Now, please don't beat me up for this one, but I didn’t like Davey the Donkey, He whined and complained far too much. I always feel that the main character should have strong, likable characteristics. Davey fell short. Also, this book is definitely more moralistic than gospel centered. The emphasis of the book is given to a boy who gets picked last for games so his grandpa tells him the story of Davey the Donkey. Side Note: The book mentions that Mary and Joseph knew Jesus would die to save his people. I can't find this anywhere in scripture. {Mary probably expected Jesus to be a political figure who would free the Jews from Roman rule. That's likely how she understood the promise of Jesus as a deliverer, a redeemer, the Messiah. It wasn't until later that she would discover that Jesus had actually come to redeem the whole world, to make us all new. Joseph died sometime before Jesus was crucified.}

We bought this book for my 3 year old. It is much too wordy for him. But we stil really like it. It’ll just be a few years before he can enjoy it as much as we do.

This book has an amazing story and really lays out the salvation story in a way that children will enjoy. That being said this book is quite long. It is probably best for children that are advanced 3 year old's and up. I would imagine the best age range being in the 5's. My son is 3 and doesn't follow along with this book well but enjoys the pictures and talking about the donkey. Once he is older I think he will appreciate the book more but introducing it to him young will make him ask for it when he is older. Overall I highly recommend this book and will be gifting it to a friend who has a son around the same age as ours.

When I picked up this book I expected a straightforward retelling of the Easter events, with some explanation about the significance of the donkey in the Triumphal Entry. This is instead a moral lesson based on Matthew 20:28 - "The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." In the setup, a young boy comes home distraught at being picked last for a game. His grandfather sits down with him and tells the story of Davey the donkey, who learns from his old friend Barnabas that although he was chosen to carry a great King, that didn't mean he was too good for simple roles. The King Himself humbly chose to become a willing servant, so Christians should recognize that every role is important and not seek only prominent positions. After making this point, Grandpa explains that Jesus died to save His people from their sins, bearing their punishment and erasing their guilt. He now reigns forever with His Father, and is worthy of our service. Although the story hangs on the events of Jesus' Passion, burial and resurrection, the main part of it is entirely fictional. We know almost nothing about the real donkey on which the fictional Davey is based, except that he fulfilled the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9. Davey's donkey friend Barnabus, who is supposed to have carried Jesus' mother Mary to Bethlehem, isn't actually mentioned in the Bible at all. Although the meaning of Easter is explained on the last page, the Gospel isn't the main point of the story -- rather, you might say the main point depends on an understanding the Gospel. It's possible that some children reading this may be confused about the historical events of Easter. However, even children usually understand the difference between real animals and anthropomorphized ones. Although I'm usually uncomfortable with embellished Bible stories, if anybody can pull it off without getting into theological trouble it's R.C. Sproul. This book is well-written, interesting and engaging, and attractively illustrated. It has a biblical message, and although its message isn't central to the Easter observance, it could make a good addition to an Easter reading basket.

I love this book. I heard it read to children via Zoom at Moody Church this past Palm Sunday. I ordered a book for each of my grandchildren with the package having their names on it. Due to COVID the shipment came to them today. Then today I ordered me a Kindle version.

I keep the book in our Easter stack. My kids love it. It's written beautifully. It is R.C.Sproul! It teaches the Gospel and a way kids can apply the knowledge in their life. And the pictures are beautiful!

It is very difficult to find Christian children's literature that is also quality. This one is excellent. It is beautiful, and compelling. These are not the most important things, but when it comes to a child selected resource I think they are important. This, however, mentions 3 stories with a donkey from the Bible which I love. It mainly focuses on when Jesus rode the donkey over the palm leaves from the point of view of the donkey. This covers thankfulness, humility, and the Gospel. I loved it and will be purchasing books by the same author. There is so much good in this one I can't even think of any flaws.

we love this book. I am trying to instill a Christ-like attitude in my child at an early age and purchased this for Christmas for him. The pictures are beautiful and the story is precious. This is an exceptional author whose wrote several Christian books.

I'm 10 years old and I got this book for Christmas. I think It teaches very important lessons. To not give up do your best and to do what your told with out complaining. Jesus died on the cross to save us and he wants us to behave good to God and other people. The illustrations are GREAT and the donkey learned not to be sassy and every job is important. Thanks to Mr. Sproul for a good book!😃

Family loves this book, inspirational, god story

I love how we stand outside of church on Palm Sunday and all enter together waving our palm branches. The physical picture of the act is rich with meaning. I thought this was such a great follow up to share with my six year old. I always enjoy how R.C weaves words to help bring understanding to such a powerful topic. This sweet little book about the donkey spoke even to me. It speaks to the attitude of servanthood that we carry. Even though we are allowed to carry such a great thing, such as the gift of Christ in us, we are to do so with great humility. Carrying a great thing does not make us great, it should humble us to our core. This is an excellent read. I am also taking a class by R.C. Sproul called Poets, Prophets, and Wisdom. It is excellent. I always enjoy his resources. Download the ebook or pick up your copy. This book was graciously provided by Ligonier for review.

R.C. Sproul, one of the great theologians of our day, wrote this beautifully illustrated children’s book to challenge and equip children and adults to consider the gospel in our everyday life. A little boy named Reilly listens as his grandfather tells him stories of donkeys from the bible and ends with the perspective of a donkey, named in the story as Davey, who carries Christ in on his triumphal entry and watches as Jesus staggers to the cross. The grandfather then continues to tell Reilly the “rest of the story” after the cross and how Jesus carrying the cross, bearing the burden of sin, should lead us to live changed lives of contentment and service to Him. At times told from the perspective of the donkey, this whimsical take on displaying Christ’s goodness will resonate in the minds and hearts of children and adults alike. The book even includes a section in the back to instruct parents how to answer questions their children might ask in regards to the book’s content. Each answer includes a short theological truth and scripture passages written out and ready to read. On top of containing beautiful, scriptural truths, the pages of this book have modern, artistic illustrations that carefully depict the mood and setting occurring on each page. There is a sweet simplicity to the illustrations which immediately endear a donkey named Davey to your heart. Disclaimer: I receive a free copy of this book from its publishers after an unbiased review.

When little Reilly comes home weeping because he is chosen last for the boy's games, Grandpa asks Reilly if he has ever told him the story of the Donkey who carried the King. "'No, Grandpa,' he said, 'I've never heard that story, but I'd love to hear it now.' So Grandpa sat down, and Reilly sat on his knee. Reilly didn't feel too old for that." One of my favorite parts of Dr. Sproul's books is the presence of a wise, dignified, loving, Godly Grandfather in each book. "'You know, Reilly,' Grandpa started, 'several years ago, I went to Jerusalem, and I saw a funny sight. Lots of people rode on little donkeys. The donkeys in Jerusalem are small compared to the ones here in America. They only grow to be about three or three and a half feet high.' " There once was a little donkey named David, called Davey. Davey was all alone in a little pen, and he felt sad that he was never chosen to do any important work. Other donkeys, like Old Barnabas, had wonderful stories about work they had done. Old Barnabas was a wise old donkey, and he was once owned by a young carpenter named Joseph. Once, Barnabas had carried Joseph's wife on a long journey to pay their taxes. Joseph's wife had given birth to a very special Baby- a Baby who was Born to Save His people. Davey loved listening to Barnabas tell him this story. Then one day came when two men came to Davey's owner, and they wanted a donkey. They said simply "The Lord has need of Him." Davey was brought to a kind man who rode him into the city, and as they went into the city people stood beside the road throwing down their cloaks for Davey to walk over and shouting Hosanna! The King of Israel is Coming! Davey was carrying the King! This was the Baby Barnabas had carried, and now David was carrying Him! Davey was very proud of Himself, knowing he had carried the King. After that, the owner began to let Davey carry burdens. Olives and Grapes. Heavy burdens. Davey was not carrying a King, he was carrying burdens. Burdens so heavy the made him stumble and fall. David was not proud to be worked this way. He had carried the King! One day, a servant was leading the laden Davey through the city, when Davey saw the gentle King again. The King was covered in cuts and bruises. People had slapped Him and spit on Him and he had been hurt. No one was helping him, instead he was carrying a long wooden beam on his torn back. As Davey watched, the King fell to the ground under its weight. Davey was pulled away by the servant, but he was heartbroken. Why the King carrying such heavy burdens? When Davey returns to the pen Old Barnabas gently tells him that part of being the King who saves His people was carrying that beam- it was His cross beam, on which He would die. Davey was amazed. "So the King was being a servant to others," he said. "Yes, Davey," Barnabas said. "It is a terrible thing that He is being treated so badly. But what He is doing is wonderful." "He was a King, but He was a servant to His people." Grandpa explains. And Davey has lessons to teach us- about being content with any job we are given, about not being to proud to carry the wheat after carrying the King, about being thankful for the strength to do our job, and most of all about learning from the King who carried the Cross-beam, who fell on the ground under His burden as He walked to a death that would save us. "And do you know what, Reilly?" Adds Grandpa "Jesus didn't stay dead. He rose again from the grave three days later and He reigns forever with His Father in heaven. That's the best news of all." The Donkey Who Carried a King is a lovely book that looks at Jesus Carrying the Cross and carrying our crosses from the eyes of a dear little donkey.

R.C Sproul does a wonderful job, explaining the Gospel so children & adults can understand. A must read!!!

We recently read the book "The Donkey Who Carried a King" to our children. It was fantastic! In his usual style RC illustrates a Biblical principle using an engaging story that children can understand and apply to their own lives. In this book RC helps children understand that they should carry out every task in their lives without grumbling. He does it by telling the story of the Donkey who carried Christ into Jerusalem. Certainly Davey, the donkey, was overjoyed to have such a special task. After taking Christ to Jerusalem however Davey is put back to seemingly menial tasks for which he begins to grumble. Through a wonderful depiction of the servant's heart that Christ displayed your children too will see the importance of doing every task without grumbling as though doing it for the Lord directly. As always this book was Biblical and a delight. Can't wait for the next children's book release from RC.

Great illustrations, but this book is so boring and poorly written, I cringe whenever my daughter asks to read it. It might have a good message, but neither of us can manage to make it all the way to the end... I really want to support Christian books, but man, stories like this make it tough.

Nice story but it dragged on, it was a long story. I wouldn't recommend it for young children as they can't keep their focus for that long.

The Donkey Who Carried a King by R.C. Sproul is a beautifully illustrated children's book telling the story of Davey, the donkey who carried Jesus into Jerusalem. Chuck Groenink is the illustrator. The books starts out with a little boy who is upset because he continues to be chosen last in games with his friends; something that many children will do at some point. His grandpa tells him the story of "the donkey who carried a king" as a way to comfort him and teach him a lesson. My first thought was that this book would be a lesson in patience and teaching children that being last isn't always a bad thing. It does teach that, but it also incorporates a beautiful lesson in humility. The Donkey Who Carried a King tells of three different stories in the Bible involving donkeys. I love that it incorporated different stories and provided even more of a learning experience for my child as we read it. Davey is a donkey who doesn't just get chosen last; he doesn't get chosen at all. Until one day some men come by needing a donkey to carry Jesus. Davey is finally chosen to do something. As Davey carries Jesus into Jerusalem, he realizes that he is not carrying just anyone, but a king. Davey is so proud that he was chosen to carry a king that he does not understand why he should have to do other odd jobs for his master. When he sees Jesus carrying the cross, Davey learns a lesson in humility through the Gospel message. The Gospel message being included at the end of the story was one of my favorite features because I feel that my child cannot hear that enough. The book also presents it in a way that a child can easily understand. The little boy in the story learns the importance of patience, humility, and being thankful. Audrey and I loved this book. Its illustrations add to the story perfectly. I definitely see this being a book that we read again and again. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I bought this for my granddaughter for Easter & she sat right down & read it! The book come in a timely fashion & in excellant condition.

This book is wonderful for kids and parents alike. It uniquely explains bible stories from different perspectives. It effectively takes a problem that many kids and parents deal with and offers a clear, biblical solution. Nothing is left out. Sproul tells the Gospel through the eyes of the Donkey and then gives application through the character of the Grandfather. It’s always encouraging to come across a book that articulates bible stories in different ways (i.e. the stories of Balaam, the donkey Barnabas and Davey). It makes the Gospel understandable and fun for kids all the while offering explanation and application for parents at the end. It is great how the Gospel is clearly communicated on page 33. It specifically shows two different aspects of Jesus in this short and beautifully illustrated childrens book. It shows Jesus as King of all and a servant to His people. Even if you aren’t familiar with the bible, the section, “For the Parents” gives you the resources to understand for yourself in order for you to further explain it to your kids. It’s a great book for people of all ages.

The theme of Jesus as servant is proudly on display through this book. My favorite quote from the book, "He took the punishment that they deserved for sinning against a holy God - the punishment you and I deserve. He was a King, but He was a servant to His people." Also, the 'Understanding the Story' section in the back of the book breaks down the story and gives scripture references. This makes for great discussions!! Now, please don't beat me up for this one, but I didn’t like Davey the Donkey, He whined and complained far too much. I always feel that the main character should have strong, likable characteristics. Davey fell short. Also, this book is definitely more moralistic than gospel centered. The emphasis of the book is given to a boy who gets picked last for games so his grandpa tells him the story of Davey the Donkey. Side Note: The book mentions that Mary and Joseph knew Jesus would die to save his people. I can't find this anywhere in scripture. {Mary probably expected Jesus to be a political figure who would free the Jews from Roman rule. That's likely how she understood the promise of Jesus as a deliverer, a redeemer, the Messiah. It wasn't until later that she would discover that Jesus had actually come to redeem the whole world, to make us all new. Joseph died sometime before Jesus was crucified.}

We bought this book for my 3 year old. It is much too wordy for him. But we stil really like it. It’ll just be a few years before he can enjoy it as much as we do.

This book has an amazing story and really lays out the salvation story in a way that children will enjoy. That being said this book is quite long. It is probably best for children that are advanced 3 year old's and up. I would imagine the best age range being in the 5's. My son is 3 and doesn't follow along with this book well but enjoys the pictures and talking about the donkey. Once he is older I think he will appreciate the book more but introducing it to him young will make him ask for it when he is older. Overall I highly recommend this book and will be gifting it to a friend who has a son around the same age as ours.

When I picked up this book I expected a straightforward retelling of the Easter events, with some explanation about the significance of the donkey in the Triumphal Entry. This is instead a moral lesson based on Matthew 20:28 - "The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." In the setup, a young boy comes home distraught at being picked last for a game. His grandfather sits down with him and tells the story of Davey the donkey, who learns from his old friend Barnabas that although he was chosen to carry a great King, that didn't mean he was too good for simple roles. The King Himself humbly chose to become a willing servant, so Christians should recognize that every role is important and not seek only prominent positions. After making this point, Grandpa explains that Jesus died to save His people from their sins, bearing their punishment and erasing their guilt. He now reigns forever with His Father, and is worthy of our service. Although the story hangs on the events of Jesus' Passion, burial and resurrection, the main part of it is entirely fictional. We know almost nothing about the real donkey on which the fictional Davey is based, except that he fulfilled the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9. Davey's donkey friend Barnabus, who is supposed to have carried Jesus' mother Mary to Bethlehem, isn't actually mentioned in the Bible at all. Although the meaning of Easter is explained on the last page, the Gospel isn't the main point of the story -- rather, you might say the main point depends on an understanding the Gospel. It's possible that some children reading this may be confused about the historical events of Easter. However, even children usually understand the difference between real animals and anthropomorphized ones. Although I'm usually uncomfortable with embellished Bible stories, if anybody can pull it off without getting into theological trouble it's R.C. Sproul. This book is well-written, interesting and engaging, and attractively illustrated. It has a biblical message, and although its message isn't central to the Easter observance, it could make a good addition to an Easter reading basket.

I love this book. I heard it read to children via Zoom at Moody Church this past Palm Sunday. I ordered a book for each of my grandchildren with the package having their names on it. Due to COVID the shipment came to them today. Then today I ordered me a Kindle version.

I keep the book in our Easter stack. My kids love it. It's written beautifully. It is R.C.Sproul! It teaches the Gospel and a way kids can apply the knowledge in their life. And the pictures are beautiful!

It is very difficult to find Christian children's literature that is also quality. This one is excellent. It is beautiful, and compelling. These are not the most important things, but when it comes to a child selected resource I think they are important. This, however, mentions 3 stories with a donkey from the Bible which I love. It mainly focuses on when Jesus rode the donkey over the palm leaves from the point of view of the donkey. This covers thankfulness, humility, and the Gospel. I loved it and will be purchasing books by the same author. There is so much good in this one I can't even think of any flaws.

we love this book. I am trying to instill a Christ-like attitude in my child at an early age and purchased this for Christmas for him. The pictures are beautiful and the story is precious. This is an exceptional author whose wrote several Christian books.

I'm 10 years old and I got this book for Christmas. I think It teaches very important lessons. To not give up do your best and to do what your told with out complaining. Jesus died on the cross to save us and he wants us to behave good to God and other people. The illustrations are GREAT and the donkey learned not to be sassy and every job is important. Thanks to Mr. Sproul for a good book!😃

Family loves this book, inspirational, god story

The illustrations are great, but the story is boring it wears me out to read it aloud. I had high hopes for this book, but I have a hard time making the connection between a boy who gets picked last at sport, and a donkey who carried the Messiah on Palm Sunday. There could have been so much more to the story.

bought for my 5 year old. Its pretty lengthy for him, but we definitely will enjoy it later.

Contrived story but nice message. Artwork saves this book.

I love the stunning artwork in this book! I only wish the type design was better suited to children; it's very sophisticated for its audience. ~ from a children's book designer : )

Nice old story with a unique perspective. Had a few theological nuggets for adults. Overall it is an excellent audiobook for children and kids. Professional

Children loved it . Perfect for Easter the little ones listened spellbound. R.C. Sproul is a truly gifted writer and teacher

I bought this for my granddaughter. She loves to read. I would recommend this to everyone. Especially someone who loves to read

Great book

No complaints, product as described.

What an excellent book. R.C. Sprout is such an amazing teacher! He does a masterful job of helping all ages see the beauty of Christ whether it be in a deep theological book or a children's book. This book will be enjoyed by all ages.

The theme of Jesus as servant is proudly on display through this book. My favorite quote from the book, "He took the punishment that they deserved for sinning against a holy God - the punishment you and I deserve. He was a King, but He was a servant to His people." Also, the 'Understanding the Story' section in the back of the book breaks down the story and gives scripture references. This makes for great discussions!! Now, please don't beat me up for this one, but I didn’t like Davey the Donkey, He whined and complained far too much. I always feel that the main character should have strong, likable characteristics. Davey fell short. Also, this book is definitely more moralistic than gospel centered. The emphasis of the book is given to a boy who gets picked last for games so his grandpa tells him the story of Davey the Donkey. Side Note: The book mentions that Mary and Joseph knew Jesus would die to save his people. I can't find this anywhere in scripture. {Mary probably expected Jesus to be a political figure who would free the Jews from Roman rule. That's likely how she understood the promise of Jesus as a deliverer, a redeemer, the Messiah. It wasn't until later that she would discover that Jesus had actually come to redeem the whole world, to make us all new. Joseph died sometime before Jesus was crucified.}

We bought this book for my 3 year old. It is much too wordy for him. But we stil really like it. It’ll just be a few years before he can enjoy it as much as we do.

This book has an amazing story and really lays out the salvation story in a way that children will enjoy. That being said this book is quite long. It is probably best for children that are advanced 3 year old's and up. I would imagine the best age range being in the 5's. My son is 3 and doesn't follow along with this book well but enjoys the pictures and talking about the donkey. Once he is older I think he will appreciate the book more but introducing it to him young will make him ask for it when he is older. Overall I highly recommend this book and will be gifting it to a friend who has a son around the same age as ours.

When I picked up this book I expected a straightforward retelling of the Easter events, with some explanation about the significance of the donkey in the Triumphal Entry. This is instead a moral lesson based on Matthew 20:28 - "The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." In the setup, a young boy comes home distraught at being picked last for a game. His grandfather sits down with him and tells the story of Davey the donkey, who learns from his old friend Barnabas that although he was chosen to carry a great King, that didn't mean he was too good for simple roles. The King Himself humbly chose to become a willing servant, so Christians should recognize that every role is important and not seek only prominent positions. After making this point, Grandpa explains that Jesus died to save His people from their sins, bearing their punishment and erasing their guilt. He now reigns forever with His Father, and is worthy of our service. Although the story hangs on the events of Jesus' Passion, burial and resurrection, the main part of it is entirely fictional. We know almost nothing about the real donkey on which the fictional Davey is based, except that he fulfilled the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9. Davey's donkey friend Barnabus, who is supposed to have carried Jesus' mother Mary to Bethlehem, isn't actually mentioned in the Bible at all. Although the meaning of Easter is explained on the last page, the Gospel isn't the main point of the story -- rather, you might say the main point depends on an understanding the Gospel. It's possible that some children reading this may be confused about the historical events of Easter. However, even children usually understand the difference between real animals and anthropomorphized ones. Although I'm usually uncomfortable with embellished Bible stories, if anybody can pull it off without getting into theological trouble it's R.C. Sproul. This book is well-written, interesting and engaging, and attractively illustrated. It has a biblical message, and although its message isn't central to the Easter observance, it could make a good addition to an Easter reading basket.

I love this book. I heard it read to children via Zoom at Moody Church this past Palm Sunday. I ordered a book for each of my grandchildren with the package having their names on it. Due to COVID the shipment came to them today. Then today I ordered me a Kindle version.

I keep the book in our Easter stack. My kids love it. It's written beautifully. It is R.C.Sproul! It teaches the Gospel and a way kids can apply the knowledge in their life. And the pictures are beautiful!

It is very difficult to find Christian children's literature that is also quality. This one is excellent. It is beautiful, and compelling. These are not the most important things, but when it comes to a child selected resource I think they are important. This, however, mentions 3 stories with a donkey from the Bible which I love. It mainly focuses on when Jesus rode the donkey over the palm leaves from the point of view of the donkey. This covers thankfulness, humility, and the Gospel. I loved it and will be purchasing books by the same author. There is so much good in this one I can't even think of any flaws.

we love this book. I am trying to instill a Christ-like attitude in my child at an early age and purchased this for Christmas for him. The pictures are beautiful and the story is precious. This is an exceptional author whose wrote several Christian books.

I'm 10 years old and I got this book for Christmas. I think It teaches very important lessons. To not give up do your best and to do what your told with out complaining. Jesus died on the cross to save us and he wants us to behave good to God and other people. The illustrations are GREAT and the donkey learned not to be sassy and every job is important. Thanks to Mr. Sproul for a good book!😃

Family loves this book, inspirational, god story

Wonderful book. Gifted it for Easter but reccomend for all times of the year. Theologically sound. Kids loved it & I loved that it has questions & allows for more discussion at the end.

Wonderful story

Anything by R.C.Sproul is to be read!

delightful book by the Dr - just loved it myself - so well explained and endearing to our precious Lord all children will understand.... arrived in good order too - good gift so will buy again..

Excellent book. Great presentation of the gospel. My toddler constantly wants to read the donkey book. Illustrations are magnificent, as with all books in this collection. Has parent guide at the end to help facilitate conversation with your children.

Bought this as it was recommended by a friend. Shall share with my 'loved ones' hopefully soon.

Sehr gut. Gefällt mein Jung sehr.

My son loves it (he is two years old but I recommend this book for older children). The story is beautiful and inspiring for adults as well !

Appealing to children.

Lisez je vous y encourage cette histoire magnifiquement illustrée !!! Ne vous dites pas je l'acheter pour mes enfants , mais dites plutôt je vais l'acheter pour la lire " avec mes enfants " ....

The theme of Jesus as servant is proudly on display through this book. My favorite quote from the book, "He took the punishment that they deserved for sinning against a holy God - the punishment you and I deserve. He was a King, but He was a servant to His people." Also, the 'Understanding the Story' section in the back of the book breaks down the story and gives scripture references. This makes for great discussions!! Now, please don't beat me up for this one, but I didn’t like Davey the Donkey, He whined and complained far too much. I always feel that the main character should have strong, likable characteristics. Davey fell short. Also, this book is definitely more moralistic than gospel centered. The emphasis of the book is given to a boy who gets picked last for games so his grandpa tells him the story of Davey the Donkey. Side Note: The book mentions that Mary and Joseph knew Jesus would die to save his people. I can't find this anywhere in scripture. {Mary probably expected Jesus to be a political figure who would free the Jews from Roman rule. That's likely how she understood the promise of Jesus as a deliverer, a redeemer, the Messiah. It wasn't until later that she would discover that Jesus had actually come to redeem the whole world, to make us all new. Joseph died sometime before Jesus was crucified.}

We bought this book for my 3 year old. It is much too wordy for him. But we stil really like it. It’ll just be a few years before he can enjoy it as much as we do.

This book has an amazing story and really lays out the salvation story in a way that children will enjoy. That being said this book is quite long. It is probably best for children that are advanced 3 year old's and up. I would imagine the best age range being in the 5's. My son is 3 and doesn't follow along with this book well but enjoys the pictures and talking about the donkey. Once he is older I think he will appreciate the book more but introducing it to him young will make him ask for it when he is older. Overall I highly recommend this book and will be gifting it to a friend who has a son around the same age as ours.

When I picked up this book I expected a straightforward retelling of the Easter events, with some explanation about the significance of the donkey in the Triumphal Entry. This is instead a moral lesson based on Matthew 20:28 - "The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." In the setup, a young boy comes home distraught at being picked last for a game. His grandfather sits down with him and tells the story of Davey the donkey, who learns from his old friend Barnabas that although he was chosen to carry a great King, that didn't mean he was too good for simple roles. The King Himself humbly chose to become a willing servant, so Christians should recognize that every role is important and not seek only prominent positions. After making this point, Grandpa explains that Jesus died to save His people from their sins, bearing their punishment and erasing their guilt. He now reigns forever with His Father, and is worthy of our service. Although the story hangs on the events of Jesus' Passion, burial and resurrection, the main part of it is entirely fictional. We know almost nothing about the real donkey on which the fictional Davey is based, except that he fulfilled the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9. Davey's donkey friend Barnabus, who is supposed to have carried Jesus' mother Mary to Bethlehem, isn't actually mentioned in the Bible at all. Although the meaning of Easter is explained on the last page, the Gospel isn't the main point of the story -- rather, you might say the main point depends on an understanding the Gospel. It's possible that some children reading this may be confused about the historical events of Easter. However, even children usually understand the difference between real animals and anthropomorphized ones. Although I'm usually uncomfortable with embellished Bible stories, if anybody can pull it off without getting into theological trouble it's R.C. Sproul. This book is well-written, interesting and engaging, and attractively illustrated. It has a biblical message, and although its message isn't central to the Easter observance, it could make a good addition to an Easter reading basket.

I love this book. I heard it read to children via Zoom at Moody Church this past Palm Sunday. I ordered a book for each of my grandchildren with the package having their names on it. Due to COVID the shipment came to them today. Then today I ordered me a Kindle version.

I keep the book in our Easter stack. My kids love it. It's written beautifully. It is R.C.Sproul! It teaches the Gospel and a way kids can apply the knowledge in their life. And the pictures are beautiful!

It is very difficult to find Christian children's literature that is also quality. This one is excellent. It is beautiful, and compelling. These are not the most important things, but when it comes to a child selected resource I think they are important. This, however, mentions 3 stories with a donkey from the Bible which I love. It mainly focuses on when Jesus rode the donkey over the palm leaves from the point of view of the donkey. This covers thankfulness, humility, and the Gospel. I loved it and will be purchasing books by the same author. There is so much good in this one I can't even think of any flaws.

we love this book. I am trying to instill a Christ-like attitude in my child at an early age and purchased this for Christmas for him. The pictures are beautiful and the story is precious. This is an exceptional author whose wrote several Christian books.

I'm 10 years old and I got this book for Christmas. I think It teaches very important lessons. To not give up do your best and to do what your told with out complaining. Jesus died on the cross to save us and he wants us to behave good to God and other people. The illustrations are GREAT and the donkey learned not to be sassy and every job is important. Thanks to Mr. Sproul for a good book!😃

Family loves this book, inspirational, god story

After a long time on back order it arrived! Beautiful book and resource for teaching children.

The theme of Jesus as servant is proudly on display through this book. My favorite quote from the book, "He took the punishment that they deserved for sinning against a holy God - the punishment you and I deserve. He was a King, but He was a servant to His people." Also, the 'Understanding the Story' section in the back of the book breaks down the story and gives scripture references. This makes for great discussions!! Now, please don't beat me up for this one, but I didn’t like Davey the Donkey, He whined and complained far too much. I always feel that the main character should have strong, likable characteristics. Davey fell short. Also, this book is definitely more moralistic than gospel centered. The emphasis of the book is given to a boy who gets picked last for games so his grandpa tells him the story of Davey the Donkey. Side Note: The book mentions that Mary and Joseph knew Jesus would die to save his people. I can't find this anywhere in scripture. {Mary probably expected Jesus to be a political figure who would free the Jews from Roman rule. That's likely how she understood the promise of Jesus as a deliverer, a redeemer, the Messiah. It wasn't until later that she would discover that Jesus had actually come to redeem the whole world, to make us all new. Joseph died sometime before Jesus was crucified.}

We bought this book for my 3 year old. It is much too wordy for him. But we stil really like it. It’ll just be a few years before he can enjoy it as much as we do.

This book has an amazing story and really lays out the salvation story in a way that children will enjoy. That being said this book is quite long. It is probably best for children that are advanced 3 year old's and up. I would imagine the best age range being in the 5's. My son is 3 and doesn't follow along with this book well but enjoys the pictures and talking about the donkey. Once he is older I think he will appreciate the book more but introducing it to him young will make him ask for it when he is older. Overall I highly recommend this book and will be gifting it to a friend who has a son around the same age as ours.

When I picked up this book I expected a straightforward retelling of the Easter events, with some explanation about the significance of the donkey in the Triumphal Entry. This is instead a moral lesson based on Matthew 20:28 - "The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." In the setup, a young boy comes home distraught at being picked last for a game. His grandfather sits down with him and tells the story of Davey the donkey, who learns from his old friend Barnabas that although he was chosen to carry a great King, that didn't mean he was too good for simple roles. The King Himself humbly chose to become a willing servant, so Christians should recognize that every role is important and not seek only prominent positions. After making this point, Grandpa explains that Jesus died to save His people from their sins, bearing their punishment and erasing their guilt. He now reigns forever with His Father, and is worthy of our service. Although the story hangs on the events of Jesus' Passion, burial and resurrection, the main part of it is entirely fictional. We know almost nothing about the real donkey on which the fictional Davey is based, except that he fulfilled the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9. Davey's donkey friend Barnabus, who is supposed to have carried Jesus' mother Mary to Bethlehem, isn't actually mentioned in the Bible at all. Although the meaning of Easter is explained on the last page, the Gospel isn't the main point of the story -- rather, you might say the main point depends on an understanding the Gospel. It's possible that some children reading this may be confused about the historical events of Easter. However, even children usually understand the difference between real animals and anthropomorphized ones. Although I'm usually uncomfortable with embellished Bible stories, if anybody can pull it off without getting into theological trouble it's R.C. Sproul. This book is well-written, interesting and engaging, and attractively illustrated. It has a biblical message, and although its message isn't central to the Easter observance, it could make a good addition to an Easter reading basket.

I love this book. I heard it read to children via Zoom at Moody Church this past Palm Sunday. I ordered a book for each of my grandchildren with the package having their names on it. Due to COVID the shipment came to them today. Then today I ordered me a Kindle version.

I keep the book in our Easter stack. My kids love it. It's written beautifully. It is R.C.Sproul! It teaches the Gospel and a way kids can apply the knowledge in their life. And the pictures are beautiful!

It is very difficult to find Christian children's literature that is also quality. This one is excellent. It is beautiful, and compelling. These are not the most important things, but when it comes to a child selected resource I think they are important. This, however, mentions 3 stories with a donkey from the Bible which I love. It mainly focuses on when Jesus rode the donkey over the palm leaves from the point of view of the donkey. This covers thankfulness, humility, and the Gospel. I loved it and will be purchasing books by the same author. There is so much good in this one I can't even think of any flaws.

we love this book. I am trying to instill a Christ-like attitude in my child at an early age and purchased this for Christmas for him. The pictures are beautiful and the story is precious. This is an exceptional author whose wrote several Christian books.

I'm 10 years old and I got this book for Christmas. I think It teaches very important lessons. To not give up do your best and to do what your told with out complaining. Jesus died on the cross to save us and he wants us to behave good to God and other people. The illustrations are GREAT and the donkey learned not to be sassy and every job is important. Thanks to Mr. Sproul for a good book!😃

Family loves this book, inspirational, god story