Donkey Roads and Camel Treks, by Gemma Simmonds 

'A potential gift for someone who is looking for something to help make Advent more meaningful than the usual headlong rush to Christmas'

Donkey Roads and Camel Treks - a pilgrim's guide for Advent
By Gemma Simmonds
Bible Reading Fellowship
ISBN: 9781800393479
Reviewed by: Jeannie Kendall

This book is the 2025 Advent book from the Bible Reading Fellowship and consists of twenty-five readings, beginning on the first of December and ending on Christmas Day. Advent moves slightly each year, but covering these particular dates mean it could be used in any year.

They are organised in four weeks, the themes being: from captivity to reconciliation, the transforming power of God’s presence, hope in darkness, and transformation, the latter being a shorter week.

Each day helpfully has the reading included in full, followed by some insights on the passage which include examples from literature and films, and the author’s own life, which makes for content which is not at all superficial (her theological background is evident) but is very accessible. Each section then has some questions for reflection and a prayer.

As such it works well for individual use, but there are also suggestions at the back for use in a group meeting once a week for four weeks, including additional reflection questions to supplement the rest of the book, and a prayer activity.

The cover is, in my view, particularly attractive, making this a potential gift for someone who is looking for something to help make Advent more meaningful than the usual headlong rush to Christmas.
 

Jeannie Kendall is a ‘retired’ Baptist minister, speaker, trainer and until recently a tutor in Pastoral Supervision. She is the author of four books: the fourth of which, on Psalm 23, is due out in April 26, and she is currently working on a fifth, a devotional book on Luke’s gospel.