Cowboy Party and Little Donkey's Present

This morning I woke up with straw in my hair. I'm not sure how it got in my bed, but it was a wild west week-end with my son's 6th birthday party.

We had a boot pinata, cookie decorating, stick-horse races, bean-bag in the cowboy hat toss and bobbing for apples. It was the first time in 6 years that we were able to have an outdoor party in glorious Virginia spring-like weather and it was a blast!

During the gift-giving, one mom was telling us how she almost had to buy her son the same lego gift box that he gave to our son. He wanted it for himself.

A conflict for many young children is to give away the birthday present they helped pick out. This reminded me of the sweet picture book, Little Donkey And The Birthday Present by Dutch author, Rindert Kromhout.

After little donkey and his mama buy the present, he tries to figure a way out of his dilemma. First he tries to lose the shiny red kite, but mama finds it. Then he says he has a tummy ache but mama tells him they will deliver the gift and he won't stay for cake.

In the end, donkey gives yak the gift and discovers that playing kite with his friend is as fun as having his own.

Annemarie van Haeringen's illustrations of yaks in red trousers and donkeys in pajamas and the calm wisdom of mama will win over everyone's hearts as it has mine!