Three Bags Full [Hardcover]

Ragnhild Scamell (Author), Sally Hobson (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1993 | Age Level: 4 and up

After giving away all her wool to her friends, Millie, a generous sheep, finds herself shivering after a snowstorm, until Mrs. Farmer knits her a warm, wool sweater.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Millie the sheep is a soft touch--in every sense. When Bird, Badger and Rabbit ask for a bit of her comfortable, warm wool to insulate their homes, she responds so generously that she is soon bare as a goat. Then comes a snowfall, and Millie shivers. She can't climb up to Bird's nest nor squeeze into Badger's burrow, and Rabbit's warren is too crowded. Finally Mrs. Farmer provides a haven and knits Millie a beautiful sweater. But a strand of yarn dangles, catching the eye of opportunistic Bird, and the ending here spells deja vu all over again. Scamell's serene little comedy gets first-class treatment from first-time illustrator Hobson. Using clear color fields, she paints a primitive-style landscape, with the horizons curving playfully--it's almost like entering the world of a paperweight. Simple, strong lines evoke Millie and her friends, including the Breugel-like Mrs. Farmer, while spare but effective detail gives the characters particularly vivid expressions. Altogether winning. Ages 3-6.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 2-Millie, a kind but somewhat doltish sheep, allows her animal friends to help themselves to her wool, thus leaving herself quite bare-and cold-when winter's snows come. Her dilemma is resolved by an equally generous farmer's gift of a hand-knitted sweater. Scamell's text is easy enough for beginning readers, and the story itself has an appealing simplicity. Neat, efficient lines create wonderful facial expressions, from woebegone to wily. Millie's body language runs the gamut, from sheepishness, to contentment, to total oblivion as history repeats itself. Uncluttered backgrounds, mounds of color and lumpy figures, and rounded shapes exude a sense of coziness and a feeling that-in spite of the fact that Millie remains rather dense-all's right with the world. Not distinguished, but certainly funny enough to evoke some chortles as a story-hour extra.
Trev Jones, School Library Journal
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover
• Publisher: Orchard Books (NY) (March 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0531054861
• ISBN-13: 978-0531054864
• Product Dimensions: 10.5 x 8.7 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,484,449 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars Nice, but not a favorite, September 4, 2008

By 

Mom2Three (California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Three Bags Full (Hardcover)

We picked this up at the library due to it's beautiful illustrations. They are gorgeous, and my 3-year-old really likes them. The story line is a little lacking though...she has lots of questions about what the animals are doing with the wool and why Millie gave it up. Also she wants to know what happens at the end when the bird starts taking some of Millie's sweater. We get to talk a lot about the possibilities, but it seems like there is a little TOO much missing from this book to make it a favorite.

0 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Clever gentle humor a 3yr old will grasp, December 1, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Three Bags Full (Hardcover)

I make my son listen to me read it every night. It's a sweet story. Brightly illustrated.