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.