This picture book’s purpose is to engage very small children and I can imagine much interaction between reader and child happening with this book. The peskily elusive green sheep is nowhere to be found (except on the last page), but we meet all kinds of other sheep: blue sheep, bed sheep, bath sheep, near sheep, far sheep and more throughout the book’s pages. We also learn about size, colour, distance and some vocabulary while we’re there. The language is simple with a basic rhythm that will be easy for children to pick up and repeat. For me Horacek’s illustrations lack a little interest, probably because they’re missing the clever observations that usually go with her cartoons. Overall, the idea of bringing Mem Fox and Judy Horacek together is an interesting one, although not entirely satisfying to my adult eye. The littlies, however, will enjoy playing along with this one. For early childhood +.

Jane Watson-Brown is a writer and reviewer

Tags: mem fox and julie horacek