Sheep

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Book: Sheep

Genre: Children/Fiction/Humor/Animal

Author: Valerie Hobbs

Thickness: 115 pages

Tagline: “Baa!”

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This book was the last book that I read in 2011, capping off a great year of reading for me, in which I read more books than I thought possible, especially after I challenged myself to not create any word wastages. Hah! The reason why I chose to end the year of 2011 with this “children’s” book  is simply to wind up the year on a happy note, as I gear up for many more books to read and review in 2012.

I picked up Sheep from the last year’s Big Bad Wolf sale at a insanely cut-price of RM3. Sure the back cover had a thin razor cut across it as well but that’s besides the point. I was attracted to the book not because of the price but for its interesting premise of a complete novel entirely written from the perspective of a dog!

Somehow I find myself drawn these kinds of writings. Haha.

Storyline

Sheep tells the heartwarming tale of a Border Collie named Jack as he recalls his life as a puppy on a ranch, and eventually loses his family through a series of events. This sets off an adventure where he travels through numerous different places, getting owned by many individuals who give him their own names like Blackie, Spot, Shep, etc. and growing up to learn how to survive in the world out there. In the midst of all this, Jack also has a dream to pursue, and that is to find his family again, or find some sheep so that he can herd! Seriously!

 

Writing

I loved the way Valerie has written Sheep. Penned from the ‘first-dog’ perspective, she manages to narrate the tale in very simple and believable terms.

From the start of the tale, you’d already know that our dog would eventually end up as Jack. That sets up nicely as I flipped through the pages of Jack’s misadventures of growing up with so many different names, it kept me guessing which name would come next, or would he finally become Jack next?

She manages to write in a way that we’d feel the joy and pain when Jack feels it. Through Jack’s numerous encounters with many different characters, you’d definitely feel his struggles and cheer for him as he continues to relentlessly pursue his dreams!

These are some of the unique and humourous words that Jack uses throughout the book:

I’d had enough of being chased away from the places where food smell was the most enticing: kitchens, restaurants, family picnics. I’d been hanging around people, acting all pitiful. After a while, it wasn’t an act. “Shoo!” the people would say, flapping their arms. “Shoo!” At first I didn’t understand. I thought they meant the things they wore on their feet.

Billy’s Big and Happy Circus looked cheery enough on the outside. But there was only one tent, so it wasn’t very big, and it sure wasn’t happy.

I followed Retardo, who scurried ahead in a low crouch. I guess he thought he’d be smaller that way, invisible. But the crouch is basically an attack position, any half-grown sheep knows that. This kid had a lot to learn.

 

Glue Factor (difficulty of putting the book down!)

With only 115 pages in length and very short chapters, this was indeed a very easy and fun book to read through. The funny and touching tales of Jack’s adventures moves along at quite a brisk pace that I found it difficult to put down.

 

Conclusion

Although Sheep can be easily classified as a children’s book, I found that it can be rather interesting to anyone who wants to read something fun and refreshing for a change. Besides, how many books do you know of that is written from the perspective of an animal?

It’s a great book to read to your children or for older kids to read it themselves!

And to cap it off, Sheep not also provides pages of fun and entertainment, there’s also some lessons of life that can be picked up from within the pages too.

For example, check out this excerpt that Jack learns from one of this owners along his journey of discovering life:

“Truth is, a fellow doesn’t need a whole lot to make him happy. A place to bed down, warm food in his belly, honest work, good company. But he’s gotta have one thing more, doesn’t he, boy?”

What is that ONE thing more? Ahhh…do read Sheep and find out! You won’t be disappointed!

 

Storyline:

Writing:

Glue Factor:

OVERALL: