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The Special Gift

A beautiful festive story to share at Christmastime
By Ruth Doyle
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Brief Description
The Special Gift is a magical, festive tale of friendship, resilience and the true meaning of gift-giving. Written by Ruth Doyle and beautifully illustrated by Carmen Saldana, this is a Christmas story to treasure year after year. On a night of swirling snow, the storm carries... Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$2199
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The Special Gift

A magical, festive tale of friendship, resilience and the true meaning of gift-giving. With stunning, atmospheric illustrations, this is the perfect story to treasure and share at Christmastime.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

The Special Gift is a magical, festive tale of friendship, resilience and the true meaning of gift-giving. Written by Ruth Doyle and beautifully illustrated by Carmen Saldana, this is a Christmas story to treasure year after year.

On a night of swirling snow, the storm carries Donkey far from the farm where there is no longer room for him. He's lost, alone, and certain he has nothing to offer the world.

But when a message from a magical bird leads Donkey to follow a bright star, he finds a new purpose: to reach the forest and learn what gifts and treasures he has to share.

On his travels, Donkey meets other animals who are lost in their own way: a lonely lamb, an old sheepdog who longs to be useful, and a robin searching for a reason to sing. Guided by Donkey, the new friends help each other navigate the storm to safety...

And it is there, in the forest, where they find somewhere to belong and learn that the greatest gifts we can share are those we carry inside us.

This is the perfect story to share at Christmastime to remind us of the most special gift we can offer - our own kindness.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781408369173

Publisher: Hachette Children's Group

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 09 October 2025

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Orchard Books

Contributors:

  • Illustrated by Carmen Saldaña

Audience: Children

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 6.0mm

Width: 250.0mm

Height: 272.0mm

Weight: 220g

Pages: 32

Collections

Children's Books Children's Fiction Children's Picture Books Children’s, Teenage and Educational Ruth Doyle

About the Author

Ruth Doyle (Author)

Ruth Doyle is a children's author who lives on a farm in Kent with a flock of forty sheep, eight chickens, three dogs, two rescued miniature horses, six guinea pigs, two rabbits, one husband and two children. Her love of nature inspires all of her stories, and her animals even accompany her on animal-writing workshops at local schools.

Carmen Saldana (Illustrator)

Carmen Saldana lives in Gijon, a little rainy city in the north of Spain. After studying Arts, she worked as a graphic designer in advertising agencies before becoming a freelance illustrator focusing on children's books, the field she enjoys the most. She loves furry animals, birds, bugs, leaves and everything related with nature, her main source of inspiration for her illustrations.

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