The Sheep Book

School Library Journal

Gr 2-4 Illustrated with black-and-white photos, this book describes the raising of sheep, wool production and the various breeds. Text presents information in a simple, factual manner. Pronunciation is given for unfamiliar breed names. The author occasionally avoids using the correct terminology (``special milk'' for colostrum), but she does mention unpleasant yet realistic aspects of sheep-raising, such as tail-banding. Photos on almost every spread clearly illustrate the text. A few scenes may confuse children by showing items that aren't described in the text, such as ear tags and placenta. A useful addition to library collections, this fills the gap between Lavine's Wonders of Sheep (Dodd, 1983) and Miller's Lambing Time (Methuen, 1978), which are aimed at older and younger readers, respectively. Charlene Strickland, Los Angeles County Public Library, Valencia