Ten Sleepy Sheep [Hardcover]

Phyllis Root (Author), Susan Gaber (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 2 and up

Ten, nine, eight. . . . Rhythmic master Phyllis Root lulls little lambs to sleep to the tune of enchanting pastoral images by Susan Gaber.

"Time to sleep,"
call the mama sheep
in the grass knee-deep.

Outside in the farmyard, ten lively lambs would rather play than go to sleep. So off they scamper, off they skip. But the sun is sinking, the stars are twinkling, and sleepy eyes can’t stay open. Ten, nine, eight. . . . One by one, ten drowsy sheep drop off to sleep in a cozy country countdown. With lilting, lyrical language and charmingly scenic views of lambs drifting off wherever they may, author and artist have blended the perfect potion to ease even spirited little ones into sweet dreams. Adorning the storybook cover are ten shiny ribbons — a different color highlighting each little sheep.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-K-Ten frisky lambs romp around the farm not quite ready for bed. Each time they move from one place to another, one is left behind, sound asleep. All of the spreads are configured in the same manner: an oversized illustration extends to the second page with a short stanza on the right: "10/Ten little sheep/leap the cucumber vine./Long grass bends./Spider mends./Sleep, sheep." Beneath the text is a smaller, softly focused vignette spotlighting the animal that has just fallen asleep. Finally, under this drawing is the phrase, "Now there are…," which will garner listener participation and encourage a quick turn of the page. The lambs are all wearing different colored ribbons around their necks, a visual touch that allows readers to track them individually. At story's end, one lamb remains awake and her mama asks, "Have you tried counting sheep?" As the text reiterates all of the sleeping places, an illustration of the entire farm maps all of the locales. Done in acrylics and pastels, the art carries readers from sunset to moonrise and the light is soft with lush greens and blues darkening gradually as dusk falls. Gaber uses curved lines-bounding sheep, bulging buildings-and a close focus on the action to create an intimate perspective. This sweet and simple book is nicely paced for a bedtime tale but would also be effective for group sharing.-Martha Topol, Traverse Area District Library, Traverse City, MI
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

PreS-K. Hard work deserves a rest, so it's not surprising that Root would follow her tale of monumental labor, Big Momma Makes the World (2003), with this peaceful bedtime book. As dusk falls on an idyllic farmyard, 10 lambs kick up their heels in defiance of slumber's call, but one by one each finds a cozy place to lay its head. Root's lilting verses soothe the ear with repeated sounds and rhymes, concluding with one last sheep "in the grass knee-deep, / nestled by her mama, / fast asleep." Gaber's winsome acrylic-and-pastel illustrations are outstanding, rich in color and texture and filled with details to enhance side-by-side sharing. Many animals mentioned in the text ("Spiders mend"; "Crickets strum") aren't immediately obvious in the artwork, adding a gentle seek-and-find challenge, and each lamb wears a unique ribbon around its neck, allowing children to choose one and follow its progress from page to page. No real surprises here, just an unusually fine addition to parents' sleep-inducing bag of tricks. Jennifer Mattson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 2 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Candlewick; 1 edition (February 9, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0763615455
• ISBN-13: 978-0763615451
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 9.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,514,494 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Phyllis Root has written many award-winning books for children, including TEN SLEEPY SHEEP, OLIVER FINDS HIS WAY, ONE DUCK STUCK, WHAT BABY WANTS, RATTLETRAP CAR, and BIG MOMMA MAKES THE WORLD, winner of the BOSTON GLOBE-HORN BOOK Award.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A BEAUTIFULLY ILLUSTRATED BEDTIME STORY, April 12, 2004

By 

Gail Cooke (TX, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ten Sleepy Sheep (Hardcover)

This is a bedtime story you can count on - literally. Pastel and acrylic illustrations in moonlit tones follow the adventures of ten little sheep on their way to bed.

When their mother calls that it's time to go to sleep the ten sheep jump over the cucumber vine to play some more. But gradually one by one the lambs tire and fall asleep.

Youngsters will enjoy watching the lambs as they see blossoms close and ducklings close, all soft drowsy suggestions. In addition, young ones can practice their counting as they nod off.

"Ten Sleepy Sheep" is an imaginative bedtime story beautifully illustrated.

- Gail Cooke

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Book, May 20, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Ten Sleepy Sheep (Hardcover)

This is another wonderful book by Phyllis Root. The pictures are beautiful and the story has a dreamy rhythm that will help your child fall asleep. This is also a counting book. My son who is three loves this book.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Ten Sleep Sheep, August 31, 2004

By 

Denise L. WeldonSiviy "compulsive_reader3" (Gettysburg, PA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ten Sleepy Sheep (Hardcover)

While it's not "Good Night Moon", this is a lovely count-down to bedtime book. The numeral/number approach to the countdown reinforces counting skills while the phrasing provides a lovely reading rhythm.