The Donkey of Gallipoli: A True Story of Courage in World War I Book

The Donkey of Gallipoli is based on a true story of a young man named Jack Simpson who grew up in the back alleys of South Shields, England. As seen on YouTube, Greenwood introduces the storyline by connecting Jack to his childhood friend Billy, who spent summer vacations together leading donkeys along the beach for a penny a ride. At the age of seventeen, Jack becomes a stoker on a ship headed to Australia where he toils as a laborer during his short-lived Australian adventure. When Jack learns that England and Germany are at war, he enlists in the army and hopes to support his homeland. Jack becomes a stretcher-bearer serving in Egypt and then Turkey when plans to invade the Gallipoli Peninsula materialized. During one of his rescue missions, Jack finds a frightened donkey hiding in the battlefield landscape. The two serve the wounded repeatedly by rescuing injured soldiers for medical treatment. Jack and Billy are reunited on the battlefield of Gallipoli, where Jack recognizes and rescues his wounded friend. Jack becomes a fallen soldier himself as this story comes to a dramatic close. The illustrations lend themselves to the storyline but at times seem void of emotions when representing the devastating events of the battlefield. This depiction lends itself to a younger and broader range of reader audience.

I found myself researching the historical events of this battleground to grasp the reasons for the invasion of the Gallipoli Peninsula and bloody outcomes of this devastating World War I battle. The notes at the back of the book provided some clarification. Pairing this picture book with a study of the World War I Gallipoli invasion would be advisable for older students. The Donkey of Gallipoli received the Children's Book Council of Australia Award Nominee for Eve Pownall Book of the Year-Honour Book (2009).