Sheep Go to Sleep

March 1, 2015
Count the sheep as they fall asleep....It's bedtime, but this familiar flock of sheep (Sheep in a Jeep, 1986, etc.) is not quite ready to take a snooze. Sweet, lilting rhymes and charming colored-pencil illustrations hit all of the right notes and blend together flawlessly as a friendly border collie tries his best to shepherd his wooly charges off to sleep. Armed with patience, a hug, a drink, a song, a teddy bear, and a quilt, he just might manage. Young listeners will relish the pictures' gentle humor, spot the details in the illustrations (including the bird who appears throughout the tale), and appreciate the calming effect of the hypnotic text as they are lulled off to sleep, practicing their counting as each sheep begins to doze in turn. The collie's responses are full of kindness and encouragement, providing toddlers with just the right amount of soothing warmth as they drift off. "But where is the dog who looks after the sheep? / He's under the haystack, fast asleep." The combination of formula and subject is such a natural it's a wonder Shaw and Apple waited this long to put them together.A beguiling bedtime book and a nice choice for just before nap time. (Picture book. 2-5)

February 1, 2015

PreS-Gr 1-Shaw's eighth installment in her beloved "Sheep" series (Houghton Harcourt) is as lifting and soothing as the first. Rhyming text softly rocks readers alongside a patient border collie who puts five sheep to sleep by fulfilling their bedtime wishes. These requests range from a hug, a drink, a cozy quilt, and a teddy bear. The story is illustrated with Apple's signature colored-pencil drawings; they are sweet and soft, just right for bedtime. VERDICT This book will be a favorite for any reluctant sleepyheads.-Melisa Bailey, Harford County Library System, MD

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