Farmer Brown Shears His Sheep: A Yarn About Wool (Hardcover)

by Teri Sloat (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
It's springtime, and Farmer Brown is shearing his sheep: "Clip-clip, buzz-buzz, / He took their wool and left them fuzz." Naked, the pink-cheeked sheep begin to shiver as the temperature drops. They watch in dismay when Farmer Brown gathers up the bags of wool to deliver to Mr. Greene, who cleans and cards it. "'BAAA!' they cried. 'We want it back!'" But their bleating is to no avail. Farmer Brown continues on his rounds, visiting the yarn spinner and the dyer before he finally realizes that his poor lambs are frigidly following him. He scurries back to his farm and sets to work--knitting each one a bright, colorful sweater!

The third in the Farmer Brown series, after Farmer Brown Goes Round and Round and The Thing That Bothered Farmer Brown, this "yarn about wool" is as charmingly silly as its predecessors. Children can learn about the process of turning wool into the yarn that becomes the sweaters on their backs, while sympathizing with the somewhat ineffective sheep who must become all tangled up in yarn before clueless Farmer Brown catches on to their plight. However, never let it be said that Farmer Brown doesn't have a heart. His magnanimous solution to the sheep's situation teaches a perfectly palatable lesson in thoughtfulness. Nadine Bernard Westcott's stubbly-chinned Farmer Brown and rosy-bottomed sheep are positively huggable. (Ages 4 to 7) --Emilie Coulter

From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 2-Bouncy verse takes readers right into a common rural scene: "Farmer Brown was shearing sheep,/Piling up a snowy heap/Of wool that filled his shed, knee-deep." Meanwhile, the silly illustrations hint at a story that is anything but ordinary: unshorn sheep are huddled together in wide-eyed dread, while those who have been buzzed are shivering. The cold creatures want their wool back and follow Farmer Brown as he takes it from place to place to have it washed, combed, carded, spun, and dyed until he finally takes pity on them and "Knit-purl, knit-purl,/The farmer's fingers looped and twirled" and he creates colorful sweaters for each one. "Now each year, come shearing time,/The sheep wait eagerly in line/To feel the clip and hear the buzz,/And wear bright sweaters over fuzz." The consistently cheerful and unstrained rhyme spins a great yarn, and at the same time pleasantly conveys facts about wool processing. Westcott's characteristically humorous watercolor cartoons will evoke a few giggles as the bare sheep peek in windows, chase the farmer, get tangled in the yarn, and finally warm up in their cozy sweaters. Pair this lighthearted romp with this creative team's Farmer Brown Goes Round and Round (DK Ink, 1999) and The Thing That Bothered Farmer Brown (Orchard, 1995).
Lee Bock, Glenbrook Elementary School, Pulaski, WI
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: DK CHILDREN; 1st edition (September 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0789426374
• ISBN-13: 978-0789426376
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #953,428 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Super great!, December 19, 2001

By	[e-mail] (Conway, Arkansas) - See all my reviews

This tale of Farmer Brown has quickly become one of our family favorites. My two year-old loves the rhyming text, and my six year-old enjoys knowing how the wool is made into yarn and eventually into clothing. Also, as a teacher, it is wonderful to have such an educational book with interesting, rhyming text. We are looking forward to new adventures with Farmer Brown!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Adorable, musical, colorful, intelligent!, October 18, 2005

By	Treetop learning - See all my reviews

From the time we borrowed this book from the library, our son has loved it. The rhythmic nature and rhyme of the lyrics have held his attention and are beautifully done. It is animated without being too cartoonish, colorful, and you can't help but fall in love with the characters (such as Mr. Peale, who owns the finest spinning wheel). Furthermore, it has really reinforced his knowledge of sheep and processing wool, and boosted his enthusiasm for anything agricultural. We renewed the book several times in the fall and winter last year, and he asked for it late in the summer again-(not easily forgotten) the librarian put it on reserve for him as it was checked out. It's time he had his own copy now that the days are cooling off and we're knitting again! He absolutely adores this book :) He said he wants his next sweater to be the same color as one of the sheep's. This book has undoubtedly made an impression on him.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars From Sheep to Sweater and back to Sheep, October 21, 2001

By	Annamaria Basile "bookwomanhere" (Silver Spring, MD United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book is just wonderful. My 3 year-olds love it. It's silly and entertaining and also educational. If anyone in your family is a knitter, spinner or weaver buy it for them (no matter how old they are). It's a great book for grandparents who knit, etc. to share with little ones.In this time when we are more and more removed from the land this book does a great job of showing children how the sweater came to be on their back. You just can't go wrong with this one.