Three Bags Full

April 9, 2007
In this refreshingly original detective story from debut German author Swann, a flock of sheep investigates the murder of their beloved shepherd, George Glenn. Leading the effort is Miss Maple, considered the cleverest sheep in the Irish seaside village of Glennkill. She slyly "pretends" to graze while eavesdropping on suspects who come to search George's caravan for something he may have died for. When a long-lost ram recounts an incident that occurred upon his departure years earlier, Miss Maple uncovers the catalyst for George's death. The wooly troupe reveals the crime's solution in a near-Shakespearean mime at the annual "Smartest Sheep in Glennkill" contest. The author's sheep's-eye view and the animals' literal translation of the strange words and deeds of the human species not only create laugh-out-loud humor but also allow the animals occasional flashes of accidental brilliance.

September 24, 2007
The mysterious death of their shepherd has sent a flock of sheep into a frenzy trying to piece together “whodunit.” Overcoming their “sheepish” ways, the members of the flock realize that they may be the only ones who can solve it. The more intelligent sheep, who have better retention or the intuition to ask the right questions, develop a list of potential suspects. As the investigation continues, the sheep quickly find the conspiracy is quite large, including a significant number of residents of Glennkill, Scotland. The delightful story is chock-full of metaphors and analogies about human behavior, interaction and memory that provide provocative insight. Bailey keeps an excellent pace and tone throughout in a light—almost benevolent—tone that keenly projects the slightly naïve perspective of the sheep. She makes indisputably clear voices for all her characters, including male voices that most would be hard-pressed to discern as coming from a woman. Tantor Media conveniently includes a handy pamphlet that lists the numerous sheep integral to the story along with a brief description of them. Simultaneous release with the Doubleday/Flying Dolphin hardcover (Reviews, Apr. 9).

October 1, 2007
Adult/High School-Like smart sheep everywhere, those of Glennkill, Ireland, cherish their routines. They want their pasture time, their barn time, and their romance-novel time. Well, perhaps they are unique in that last desiremost sheep never develop a taste for the genre. But George's animals owe much of their understanding of the world, and particularly their knowledge of those strange human flocks that inhabit the nearby village and countryside, to his regular reading of the Pamela novels. They are content in their world, and extra happy because they have a dream they share with their good shepherd: to go to Europe, where there are endless fields of fresh grass and orchards of ripe apples. Then the unimaginable happens. George is pinned to the ground with a spade. Their shepherd is dead. Outraged, his charges set their minds to finding his killer. Led by Miss Maple, the smartest sheep in Glennkill (and perhaps the world) summon their considerable talents and, bit by bit, piece together the puzzle. First-time novelist Swann had tons of fun writing this, and all of it transfers seamlessly to readers. Teens will laugh out loud as the sheep decide who God is and what goes on in God's house. They also contemplate the nature of the Abyss, and Cloud Sheep, and why humans spend so much time, effort, and money hiding foul-tasting dried-up clumps of grass from one another. This lighthearted mystery is fresh, bold, engaging, and a joy to read."Robert Saunderson, Berkeley Public Library, CA"

Copyright 2007 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from March 15, 2007
It's morning in the seemingly bucolic Irish village of Glennkill, and a flock of sheep has just come across the murdered body of its shepherd. Initial consternation (there's a bit of panic about wolves, although the crime was clearly committed by a human) gives way to resolvethe flock will solve the murder. Led by the very smart Miss Maple, Othello, Melmoth, Mopple the Whale, and the rest of the group struggle to understand who killed George and why. The sheep are not cuddly sweet or highly anthropomorphized; they approach each problem in the investigation from a sheep's point of view, which makes for a fresh take on the mystery genre. The outsider perspective is reminiscent of that portrayed by Mark Haddon inThe Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time often amusing but frequently hinting at a much darker reality, unlike Jasper Fforde's lighter nursery crime mysteries. Swann peppers the text with literary allusions that add humor and lighten the existential gloom of both people and sheep. An international best seller, this quirky philosophical mystery is highly recommended for all public libraries.Devon Thomas, DevIndexing, Chelsea, MI

Copyright 2007 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from March 1, 2007
A completely original, sparklingly inventive, cleverly written story, first published in Germany, about a flock of Irish sheep who vow to solve the murder of their shepherd, George. George has always treated the flock like humans, reading to them, feeding them the best fodder, protecting them from the local butcher, acknowledging their individual personalities, and even promising to take them to Europe. Imagine the flock's shock when George is found dead in their meadow with a spade stuck in his chest! Led by Miss Maple, the smartest of them all, the sheep decide they must find out who killed George (depriving them of the best--and only--shepherd they've ever had). How they finally achieve this ambitious goal makes for a quirky, humorous, lively, weird, surprisingly dark yet joyous tale that shows how a disparate set of sheepy personalities can work together for the greater good. Although the plot meanders a bit, readers willing to accept the premise will find themselves engaged--rooting for the sheep, marveling at the ingenuity of the author, or simply enjoying the madcap story. Good fun and a fine first novel from a promising new writer.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2007, American Library Association.)