The Snow Lambs [Hardcover]

Debi Gliori (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1996 | Age Level: 4 and up

When Bess the sheepdog goes missing on a snowy, blowy night, Sam worries, until Bess returns with Dad's best ewe, who had been lost in the storm and who gives birth to twin lambs later that evening.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

One snowy night, while redheaded Sam and his father are counting their flock, Bess the sheepdog disappears to search for a pregnant ewe. Bess finds her, but Sam worries about Bess out in the storm: will she ever find her way home? The pair returns in time for the ewe to give birth to snow lambs: "And later, when the wind had dropped from a howl to a whisper, the kitchen filled with newborn bleating." Throughout this suspenseful and ultimately reassuring book, Gliori (My Little Brother) ingeniously uses a "split screen" effect to contrast Sam's warmth and safety at home with the perilous trek of the intrepid dog and trusting ewe. A single spread, for example, shows two frames: on the right Sam's mother blow-dries his hair in a golden-hued interior, while on the left, Bess and the ewe struggle against an icy wind in a gray landscape; in another, Sam digs under a comforter for his pajamas as Bess digs through the snow so the sheep can fit under a fence. Gliori's densely textured, cheerfully cartoony illustrations skillfully use the effects of light to convey sensation and emotion: they evoke the bitterness of the cold and the anxieties lurking in the deep shadows (indoors and out). The combination of unflappable, protective dog, loyal child (who keeps waiting even after his unconcerned parents go to bed) and cute sheep is a winner. Ages 4-7.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 2?A heroic sheepdog takes center stage in this charming picture book. Sam and his father are out herding sheep when they notice that their dog has disappeared. The child is worried, but his father is more concerned about the sheep. Throughout the cold winter night, Sam continues to worry. In a dramatic split-page technique, Bess's adventures are shown on one side of the double-page spread, while Sam's nightly routine is shown on the other side. The text follows the artwork's theme, depicting the boy digging his pajamas out of his bedding as Bess digs a path through the snow, or Sam listening to a scary story as Bess endures the howling wind. This unity of text and illustration points out the bond between the boy and his dog with powerful understatement. The illustrations are a curious blend of realistic and cartoon styles, and the overall feeling is one of friendly accessibility to the story and characters.?Melissa Hudak, North Suburban District Library, Roscoe, IL
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover
• Publisher: Scholastic; 1st American ed edition (October 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0590203045
• ISBN-13: 978-0590203043
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 8.8 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #283,560 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Cozy, February 19, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Snow Lambs (Hardcover)

This a good book to snuggle up and read with your child. My two yr old loves it and sits through the entire book. The story is sweet as well as the illustrations. I'm sure this will be a favorite of ours for years to come!

4.0 out of 5 stars Very sweet story of a devoted young boy!, December 10, 2009

By 

A. Williams - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Snow Lambs (Paperback)

This is a tale about a boy's concern for his lost sheepdog on a blustery, cold, snowy, winter night. The comparisons between what the boy is doing getting ready for bed, and what the dog must be going through is very sweet (i.e. the boy asks to be read a scary story, but then regrets it and wonders if his dog is scared out in the cold).

I really enjoyed this book, especially the love and devotion that the boy has for his dog and the wits and devotion the dog has as well.

The illustrations weren't anything that personally blew me away, but I did enjoy them.

The only reason I took off a star is that it bothered me how little the father seemed to be concerned about the dog, and that being stuck in the cold might "teach the dog a lesson." I just thought this was a tad harsh for: a) the dog, and b) the feelings of the boy. But, I was pleased with the ending, so I think the author made an attempt to address this.

5.0 out of 5 stars A Gem!, October 3, 2009

By 

Joyce Fitzsimmons "The Book Peddler" (White Salmon, WA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Snow Lambs (Paperback)

I have a used book store that specializes in Childrens' titles and this one stands out from the many, many books that I have had go through my hands. There is so much going on, the storm, the Dad's concern about what might happen if the tree fell, his attitude that the dog is 'useless' and just goofing off somewhere, the boy's concern for the dog, etc. After about the 3rd page you have two stories going on, the human events and through side-by-side illustrations, the dog and sheep's story. Of course, the boy and the dog are the ones that get it right and the worst worry, the possibility of the tree falling and causing a power outage, ends up.... well read the story and you will see. A great read aloud for the ages where you can lose them with too many words.