The Story of Baldomera by Ismael F. Arias and Enrique G. Ballesteros is a charming picture book that is based on the true to life friendship between Ismael and a donkey named Baldomera. Baldomera loved Ismael and would look forward to his regular visits, when the pair would bask together in the tranquility of their surroundings. But as the pandemic necessitated lockdown measures, the two friends were kept apart, and Baldomera finds herself speculating about possible reasons for Ismael's absence. When the two friends are reunited, it is a time to rejoice and to enjoy each other's company once again.

This is such a timely story that will particularly resonate with young children who are struggling to understand why they must be temporarily kept from sharing the company of those they love the most. Recommended.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Publisher Spotlight for an ARC.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the commentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I thought this was a very sweet story of friendship. I was sad when Baldomera was sad. I liked that it touched on the environment, it made it a much deeper story.

Based on a true story, this is a beautiful picture of friendship between human and animal. The story is so sweet and tells of the time of the corona virus without harping on it. Plus the illustrations in this one are just so lovely.

This book is actually based on viral video of a donkey, Baldomera, and her reunion with her owner after months of quarantining. I hadn’t heard about that video, and appreciate that the author included a QR code on the back cover, for easy access to the video!

The story itself is heartwarming, beautifully illustrated and easy to read to children and by children. It is a great resource to start meaningful conversations and evoke reflections about friendship and empathy. I also feel that many children will relate to and learn to articulate their feelings from Baldomera.
5 stars.

Thank you NubeOcho, Ismael F. Arias, Enrique G. Ballesteros and NetGalley for an advance copy of The Story of Baldomera in exchange for an honest review. #TheStoryofBaldomera #NetGalley

I absolutely loved The Story of Baldomera! It is a beautifully written and illustrated story of a donkey and her owner during the time of COVID-19 and what happens when they get reunited. I believe this book will help kids navigate through the COVID-19 world. I highly recommend this book and believe it will be perfect to be read in any setting. Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read this book! I loved it! (This review is also on GoodReads.)

This was a cute story. This is great for kids and their parents to read together. The illustrations were perfect.

Baldomera lives a lonely life until she meets Ismael. Together they enjoy the beauty of their surroundings, and enjoy one another's company. Then one day Ismael fails to appear, and little Baldomera begins to imagine all the bad things that may have happened to him. (Strangely enough, all of the things she envisions are related to climate change. What an environmentally-conscious little donkey!) When he finally reappears, there is a joyful, and tearful, reunion.

This is a sweet tale, based on the true story of an unusual friendship. I love the folksy paintings by Ayesha L. Rubio. And, while I do wish there had been a little more of a story, I'll give it four stars because, well - donkeys are awesome!