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Saturday, December 18, 2021

One Smart Sheep, written by Gary D. Schmidt and Elizabeth Stickney, with illustrations by Jane Manning. Clarion Books, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Raincoast. 2021. $23.99 ages 8 and up

"He moved farther into the warm pen and looked around.

No Tippy. 
No Abigail. 
No woodstove, either. 
Wilson began to wonder if a friendly, woolly,
smart sheep belonged here after all. 

Then the two deliverymen lifted the ramp
into the truck.
"

Abigail Atwood and her border collie, Tippy, work hard every day to keep their 27 sheep happy and healthy. Abigail is aware that there is something very special about Wilson. In fact, she notes that he is the “friendliest, woolliest, smartest sheep” of the flock. As a young lamb, Abigail had kept him in a box near the woodstove, and fed him with a bottle. Now, Wilson is an important member of her flock. 

Abigail has a neighbor named Jeremiah Jefferson. He is a bit of a curmudgeon, who is handy with tools and fixing things; he is not keen on sheep. He has much to say about them that Abigail does not appreciate. After an annoying encounter with Jeremiah one day, Abigail and Tippy are upset enough not to check the gate as they head back to the house. As luck would have it, a series of ill-timed events create a real dilemma. 

Abigail has a piano delivered; Wilson discovers the gate unlatched; Wilson makes his way to the house, and then into the back of the delivery truck. Only Tippy notices there is something amiss. Tippy tries to warn Abigail, to no avail. The scenes created for Wilson's wild ride to the city, and his subsequent escape will have readers chortling. Abigail recruits Jeremiah to help with the search. After many attempts to find Wilson, the search is ended. Inadvertently following the path that is leading Wilson home, the team finds him heading straight for the pasture that is his home. What a smart sheep! 

Large print, easy-reading text, and short chapters make this action-filled book perfect for kids wanting to read chapter books on their own. It has everything to attract them: action, suspense, great characters, humor, and excellent illustrations that engage and entertain. 

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