he heartwarming tale of a noble donkey purchased by St. Joseph shortly before his marriage to the Blessed Virgin Mary. The trusted creature helps Joseph in his carpentry business by hauling wood and stones, but he also plays a key role in all the major events recorded in the Infancy Narratives in the Gospels: he carries Mary to Bethlehem, where she gives birth to Jesus; he takes the Holy Family to Egypt to escape the evil king Herod; and he shuttles the family to Jerusalem, where the twelve-year-old Jesus gets "lost" in the Temple and is then found again.

This rich and beautifully illustrated book will be a source of stirring entertainment for children, who will fall in love with the strong, dignified, humble, hardworking donkey. But more importantly, Joseph's Donkey will introduce children in a potent way to the mysterious and wonderful character of St. Joseph himself. For the donkey in this story is a mirror image of the honorable head of the Holy Family. Thus, in coming to know and cherish the donkey, children will come to appreciate and grow close to Jesus' foster father -- the person whom God the Father chose above all others to watch over, guide, and protect His only begotten Son.