Post by Claire on Aug 25, 2011 13:46:59 GMT 1
THE BOY AND THE DONKEY by DIANA PULLEIN-THOMPSON
(aka THE DONKEY RACE)
EDITION REVIEWED: 1961 hardback edition
MAIN CHARACTERS:
DUGGIE – Our hero, a ten year old boy
OLD JOCK – An elderly rag and bone man
TAM O’SHANTER (TAMMY) – Jock’s donkey
JANE – A librarian who helps Duggie learn to ride
PETE – Duggie’s friend
MARK – A grown up good Samaritan who helps out Duggie
SUMMARY
Set in London, not long after the war. Duggie and his family are fairly poor and live in a small house in the city. One day Duggie helps old Jock, an elderly rag and bone man and his donkey and the old man befriends him, letting him look after the donkey, Tammy, and help out. When Jock falls ill and has to go to hospital he asks Duggie to look after Tammy and says he can ride him too. Although Duggie has never ridden, he learns with the help of a friendly librarian called Jane and some pony books. One day he rides Tammy in Hyde Park and the donkey just about keeps up with some of the fast horses there. When he hears about a donkey derby with a prize of 100 guineas being held in a few weeks time he begins to hatch a plan to ride Tammy in it. Soon he is training in earnest and when Jock comes out of the hospital he is eager to join in with Duggie’s plans and gives him money for the entry. When the money is stolen by some thuggish local boys Duggie thinks his dreams of riding in the race are over, but a stroke of luck changes his fortune and eventually he sets off to take part in the race.
REVIEW
This is a very well-written story which I have always enjoyed, but I know it will not be to everyone’s taste. Ironically the elements which may not appeal to the horse-loving reader are the very ones which make the book, in my opinion, a cut above the usual children’s pony story. First of all the book may not be, in everyone’s eyes, a true pony story. This is not because it features a donkey instead of a pony – the parts where Duggie is learning to ride and looking after Tammy are no different from similar happenings in traditional pony books, and in fact this is probably more of a ‘pony’ story rather than a ‘donkey’ story, focusing more on the riding and the race elements than on the usual donkey stereotypes of stubbornness and causing mischief. It is rather that the main focus of the book is not just on the donkey and the race but also on the day-to-day life of a young working class boy in post-war London. We see all aspects of Duggie’s life from his poverty stricken home, to his friendships, to the bullying he encounters from yobbish older boys. It seems to have been written as something of a foray into a more mainstream territory for the author, and is aimed at children in general rather than just horse mad readers. The fact that it was illustrated (beautifully) by Shirley Hughes rather than one of the PT’s stalwart pony book illustrators such as Sheila Rose may also reflect this. For me, I find this more mainstream approach gives the book an added depth, and the backdrop of the post-war city is interesting and a far cry from the Home Counties rural background of a lot of pony stories. Perhaps for some readers it will not be horsy enough or traditional enough. However, there is still plenty of equine content, such as Duggie trying to teach himself to ride from pony books, his care of the donkey in the stable, and of course the race itself. Although Diana has tried to widen her scope in this book I still feel it is at heart a true pony story.
The book is at times a downbeat and uncompromising read, and not really a comfort-blanket type book at all. The poverty of post war London is highlighted, with Duggie’s family struggling to live in a house so small that he must sleep in the kitchen! This certainly dispels the myth that pony books are elitist and only focus on the upper class echelons of society! Other unpleasant aspects of life are dealt with face on, the bullying boys who attack Duggie, Jock’s illness, the possible fate of Jock’s pets if Duggie cannot find them a home when he is in hospital. Unlike many modern pony books, which tend to gloss over the harsh realities of life, coating them in either a gloss of glitter and magic or giving their heroes and heroines a charmed life, this is firmly rooted in reality.
This book teaches its young readers that bad things can and do happen. This is fairly common in Diana’s books, with the fate of Jingle in Riding with the Lyntons, Candy’s illness in The Pony Seekers and the untimely death in A Pony to School being just a few examples. However, this is not just gratuitous unpleasantness, nor is it too depressing, as Diana uses these setbacks to show how her characters can overcome their problems and still succeed – a very useful lesson indeed to teach children. The unpleasant aspects are also balanced with good luck, such as when Duggie meets Mark, and some of the nastier characters such as the Smithsons and the housekeeper who turns Duggie away when he is on his journey are balanced with almost overly nice characters such as Jane and the Petersons In this way the book does not wallow too deeply in depressing aspects, as in say Diana’s non-pony story set against a similar backdrop, The Secret Dog, but has a well thought out balance of good and bad. It is life affirming because it gives the message that dreams and success are possible no matter what obstacles bar the way and what-ever background you come from.
At the heart of the book is the character of Duggie and Diana has done an excellent job in creating him. He is a very sympathetic character, who, despite his hard start in life, is caring and optimistic. His goodness is tempered by a few faults, just to make him more human, but he is a character you are always rooting for. His instinctive love of animals and the countryside is another point which makes us like him. He genuinely cares for Jock and the animals. He is amazingly self sufficient and enterprising for his age. Although only ten, he looks after Jock’s affairs when the old man is in hospital, attempting to keep his business going and finding homes for his dog and cat when Jock’s sister doesn’t want them and is going to have them put down. He even manages to ride Tammy from London to Sussex which takes him 3 days and involves finding shelter and lodgings for himself and the donkey! One cannot imagine a child of ten today being that enterprising!
Another thing I like about the book is that it has a male main character. Sadly for male readers, British pony books are aimed much more at females. The PT sisters must be applauded for their use of many male characters in their pony stories and quite a few of their main characters are male. Perhaps the choice of a male character in this book was another tool used by the author to widen the scope from the narrower focus of the traditional female orientated pony story, but whatever it’s reason, the book makes an excellent read for boys, with many aspects which will appeal especially to the young male reader.
In summary this is very well written and readable with a very likeable main character, but its exploration of some of the darker elements of life may mar its appeal to those who see pony books as comfort reads only. For those who like some ‘meat on the bones’ of their pony story and especially for young male readers, this is an excellent read, and it is also more original, in terms of backdrop and main character, than the majority of pony stories.
I rate it as 4 horseshoes (very good)
(aka THE DONKEY RACE)
EDITION REVIEWED: 1961 hardback edition
MAIN CHARACTERS:
DUGGIE – Our hero, a ten year old boy
OLD JOCK – An elderly rag and bone man
TAM O’SHANTER (TAMMY) – Jock’s donkey
JANE – A librarian who helps Duggie learn to ride
PETE – Duggie’s friend
MARK – A grown up good Samaritan who helps out Duggie
SUMMARY
Set in London, not long after the war. Duggie and his family are fairly poor and live in a small house in the city. One day Duggie helps old Jock, an elderly rag and bone man and his donkey and the old man befriends him, letting him look after the donkey, Tammy, and help out. When Jock falls ill and has to go to hospital he asks Duggie to look after Tammy and says he can ride him too. Although Duggie has never ridden, he learns with the help of a friendly librarian called Jane and some pony books. One day he rides Tammy in Hyde Park and the donkey just about keeps up with some of the fast horses there. When he hears about a donkey derby with a prize of 100 guineas being held in a few weeks time he begins to hatch a plan to ride Tammy in it. Soon he is training in earnest and when Jock comes out of the hospital he is eager to join in with Duggie’s plans and gives him money for the entry. When the money is stolen by some thuggish local boys Duggie thinks his dreams of riding in the race are over, but a stroke of luck changes his fortune and eventually he sets off to take part in the race.
REVIEW
This is a very well-written story which I have always enjoyed, but I know it will not be to everyone’s taste. Ironically the elements which may not appeal to the horse-loving reader are the very ones which make the book, in my opinion, a cut above the usual children’s pony story. First of all the book may not be, in everyone’s eyes, a true pony story. This is not because it features a donkey instead of a pony – the parts where Duggie is learning to ride and looking after Tammy are no different from similar happenings in traditional pony books, and in fact this is probably more of a ‘pony’ story rather than a ‘donkey’ story, focusing more on the riding and the race elements than on the usual donkey stereotypes of stubbornness and causing mischief. It is rather that the main focus of the book is not just on the donkey and the race but also on the day-to-day life of a young working class boy in post-war London. We see all aspects of Duggie’s life from his poverty stricken home, to his friendships, to the bullying he encounters from yobbish older boys. It seems to have been written as something of a foray into a more mainstream territory for the author, and is aimed at children in general rather than just horse mad readers. The fact that it was illustrated (beautifully) by Shirley Hughes rather than one of the PT’s stalwart pony book illustrators such as Sheila Rose may also reflect this. For me, I find this more mainstream approach gives the book an added depth, and the backdrop of the post-war city is interesting and a far cry from the Home Counties rural background of a lot of pony stories. Perhaps for some readers it will not be horsy enough or traditional enough. However, there is still plenty of equine content, such as Duggie trying to teach himself to ride from pony books, his care of the donkey in the stable, and of course the race itself. Although Diana has tried to widen her scope in this book I still feel it is at heart a true pony story.
The book is at times a downbeat and uncompromising read, and not really a comfort-blanket type book at all. The poverty of post war London is highlighted, with Duggie’s family struggling to live in a house so small that he must sleep in the kitchen! This certainly dispels the myth that pony books are elitist and only focus on the upper class echelons of society! Other unpleasant aspects of life are dealt with face on, the bullying boys who attack Duggie, Jock’s illness, the possible fate of Jock’s pets if Duggie cannot find them a home when he is in hospital. Unlike many modern pony books, which tend to gloss over the harsh realities of life, coating them in either a gloss of glitter and magic or giving their heroes and heroines a charmed life, this is firmly rooted in reality.
This book teaches its young readers that bad things can and do happen. This is fairly common in Diana’s books, with the fate of Jingle in Riding with the Lyntons, Candy’s illness in The Pony Seekers and the untimely death in A Pony to School being just a few examples. However, this is not just gratuitous unpleasantness, nor is it too depressing, as Diana uses these setbacks to show how her characters can overcome their problems and still succeed – a very useful lesson indeed to teach children. The unpleasant aspects are also balanced with good luck, such as when Duggie meets Mark, and some of the nastier characters such as the Smithsons and the housekeeper who turns Duggie away when he is on his journey are balanced with almost overly nice characters such as Jane and the Petersons In this way the book does not wallow too deeply in depressing aspects, as in say Diana’s non-pony story set against a similar backdrop, The Secret Dog, but has a well thought out balance of good and bad. It is life affirming because it gives the message that dreams and success are possible no matter what obstacles bar the way and what-ever background you come from.
At the heart of the book is the character of Duggie and Diana has done an excellent job in creating him. He is a very sympathetic character, who, despite his hard start in life, is caring and optimistic. His goodness is tempered by a few faults, just to make him more human, but he is a character you are always rooting for. His instinctive love of animals and the countryside is another point which makes us like him. He genuinely cares for Jock and the animals. He is amazingly self sufficient and enterprising for his age. Although only ten, he looks after Jock’s affairs when the old man is in hospital, attempting to keep his business going and finding homes for his dog and cat when Jock’s sister doesn’t want them and is going to have them put down. He even manages to ride Tammy from London to Sussex which takes him 3 days and involves finding shelter and lodgings for himself and the donkey! One cannot imagine a child of ten today being that enterprising!
Another thing I like about the book is that it has a male main character. Sadly for male readers, British pony books are aimed much more at females. The PT sisters must be applauded for their use of many male characters in their pony stories and quite a few of their main characters are male. Perhaps the choice of a male character in this book was another tool used by the author to widen the scope from the narrower focus of the traditional female orientated pony story, but whatever it’s reason, the book makes an excellent read for boys, with many aspects which will appeal especially to the young male reader.
In summary this is very well written and readable with a very likeable main character, but its exploration of some of the darker elements of life may mar its appeal to those who see pony books as comfort reads only. For those who like some ‘meat on the bones’ of their pony story and especially for young male readers, this is an excellent read, and it is also more original, in terms of backdrop and main character, than the majority of pony stories.
I rate it as 4 horseshoes (very good)