And Then Another Sheep Turned Up

January 12, 2015
The Haggadah declares, “Let all who are hungry come and eat,” and the Sheep family takes that admonition to heart. Each time Mama, Papa, Hannah, and little Noah try to get on with their seder, relatives keep showing up: “Uncle Sol came in his jeep,/ kissed the kids and hugged the rest./ ‘Can you fit another sheep?/ Seder here is always best.’ ” No one is turned away: in what becomes the book’s refrain, Mama adds a place setting, Papa finds more seating, Hannah squeezes over “to make more space,” and Noah’s chances of staying awake until the end of seder get slimmer. Gehl (One Big Pair of Underwear) and debut illustrator Adele have hold of a clever premise, but the personalities and cartoon portraits of the guests aren’t especially vivid—they are all cut from a similar, woolly cloth. But their affection for one another is evident: just as the Sheeps never run out of food despite the growing guest list, they likewise possess an endless supply of hugs and smiles. Ages 3–8. Author’s agent: Erszi Deak, Hen & Ink. Illustrator’s agency: Good Illustration.

February 1, 2015
Preparation and plans for a small family Seder are altered when the Sheep family of four is continually interrupted by unexpected guests who successively show up throughout the evening. Papa, Mama, Hannah and Noah Sheep have just sat down when Grandma Sheep hurries through the door with macaroons and wine. As the first cup of wine is poured, karpas (parsley) is passed out, and as each remaining portion of the ceremony proceeds, another sheep comes to the door with either an excuse or a gift. Kids will stay engaged with this rhyming, cumulative tale and its refrain: "Mama set another place. / Papa found an extra seat. / Hannah squeezed to make more space, / thrilled to have a guest to greet." They will sympathize as Noah's yawns grow increasingly larger and quickly join in with the repeated punch line, "And then another sheep turned up!" The illustrations establish the friendly, good-natured mood enjoyed by these curly-topped, round-eyed ovines, dressed in holiday garb and sitting around a nicely set Passover table. By the time Elijah's cup is filled and the door is opened to welcome him, all the sheep have finally arrived, the youngest has fallen asleep, and the singing of songs concludes the evening's festive dinner. An amusing and appealing way to enlist little ones in the holiday's rituals. (Picture book/religion. 3-6)

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