Author(s): Sarah Oliver

Non-fiction

Pollyanne the donkey had had a hard life. Cruelly neglected and mistreated, she was eventually taken to the knackers' yard to be sold on for slaughter. But John McLaren, of Island Farm Donkey Sanctuary, had other ideas. Unable to turn his back on an animal in pain, he bought Pollyanne and took her home to the sanctuary. There she was nurtured back to health by John and his dedicated team and it looked as if she would live out the remainder of her days in quiet contentment, alongside the eighty other donkeys under John's care. But when the call came for a donkey to take part in a production of Carmen at the Royal Opera House, John thought Pollyanne, with her sunny disposition, might be just the girl they were looking for. Pollyanne took to the limelight like a true superstar, outshining even the most celebrated divas. And the opera is only the beginning: before long, Pollyanne is appearing in Vogue photoshoots, starring in TV dramas and signing authographs for her many fans. She is a true superstar. A touching and inspirational true story, and a genuine rags to riches tale, Pollyanne is sure to warm even the hardest of hearts.