Mikis and the Donkey by Bibi Dumon Tak

Tak, Bibi Dumon, Philip Hopman, and Laura Watkinson. Mikis and the Donkey. Amsterdam: Eerdmans Publishing, 2011. ISBN: 978-0802854308

Brief plot summary:

This story is about a young Greek boy, Mikis, living in a small village on the island of Corfu. His grandparents give him a female donkey whom he names Tsaki. At first, she helps Mikis and his grandpa gather firewood, but Mikis notices that his grandpa treats Tsaki like she is a machine rather than a living being. Mikis cares for Tsaki very much and wants her to be treated they way she deserves to be. While walking Tsaki on her day off, Mikis notices that she is bleeding. He takes her to the village doctor, which saves her life, and Mikis’ grandpa finally realize the importance of taking good care of Tsaki. After this occurrence, the entire village starts referring to Mikis as “donkey boy” and are all supportive of his love for the donkey.

Critical analyses:

Overall impression: Short, simple, and full of heart.

This novel, illustrated by Hopman and translated by Watkinson, is a winner of the 2015 Batchelder Award (for being an outstanding work of children’s literature originally published in another language). There are a few illustrations throughout the book which are scratchy sketches. They do not contribute much to the story, but they give the reader a sense of the setting and an idea of what the characters look like.

Tak created a story that gives readers a vivid depiction of Greek island culture. The names (Mikis, Pappou, Yaya, etc.) may seem unusual to Americans, but they are commonplace in Greek families. In addition, pet/working donkeys and olive groves are not exactly a part of the typical American home either. Also, foods like wine, olives, beer, sausage, moussaka, and baklava are much more popular than in the U.S. The village setting also adds to the Greek culture. Mikis lives in a small community, so everyone knows everyone and they all follow the same traditions (the whole village is at church on Sunday and no one works on Sundays, etc.). One thing that really stuck out to me was the scene when all of the kids in Mikis’ class took turns riding on their teacher’s boyfriend’s motorcycle. If that were to happen in the U.S. in this day and age… I can’t even imagine the uproar it would cause among the parents.

Tak’s main purpose of this novel was to be a tribute to working donkeys because so many of them are overworked and mistreated. He did a wonderful job of using Mikis’ heart and empathy to show readers the importance of caring for animals properly. Donkey usage is more normal in Greek village culture, but every child can relate in some way to this heartfelt story of a boy’s love for his animal friend.

Review excerpts:

"Those children who do connect with Dumon Tak's sweet, quiet tale are likely to find it will resonate deeply.” 
--Kirkus starred review, October 2014

“This latest offering from the creators of the Batchelder winner Soldier Bear (2011) is a quiet story filled with endearing characters, believable situations, and a sense of the importance of caring for other creatures.” 
--Booklist, October 2014

Connections (related books, activities, children’s responses, etc.):

Children could compare what they learned about Greek culture to their own culture. They could discuss animal rights.