The Useless Donkeys by Lydia Pender and Judith Cowell

The Useless Donkeys, first published in 1986, is about the Quigleys "six and a bit of them." They enjoy farm life and have a menagerie of animals of which two are the lovable but apparently useless donkeys Garibaldi and Pecadillo.Mr Quigley is their harshest critic as they follow him around, trample his garden and even tread on his clothes. Mrs Quigley, on the other hand, is charmed by them both despite the fact that they they invade her kitchen. The children love them. Then one day there is a terrible storm which floods the farm and leaves the donkeys stranded on a diminishing island of land. Now the family has to decide what should be done. The pictures in this book are very striking and in fact it took illustrator, Judith Cowell,  two years to complete the artwork during which time she said she "lived day and night with the Quigleys." Author, Lydias Pender, began writing poetry for the School Magazine in the 1940's, and has since written many picturebook stories which have received acclaim in America, England and Australia.