Tinka [Hardcover]

Rainy Dohaney (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

What's it like to be so small you can fit under a door? So small you can fly on the back of a bird? So small you can have an amazing adventure others can only dream about? Join Tinka -- a sheep the size of a cupcake -- and find out!

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

PreS-Gr. 1. Tinka is the smallest sheep anyone has ever seen--the size of a cupcake, to be precise. Needless to say, her diminutive size presents some distinct disadvantages: she produces only enough wool for a hamster sweater, she could easily be squished by the other sheep, and she isn't even tall enough to see the large purple spider that appears on a distant hilltop each spring. Tinka's forlorn tale turns, however, after her friend Sooty the crow flies her to see the purple spider up close. As it turns out, the spider is actually an oddly shaped patch of thousands of tiny purple flowers. Tiny Tinka triumphantly returns to the farm with her important news, and she realizes for the first time that not just being one of the sheep has its advantages. Readers could spend hours discovering the many comical details in Dohaney's soft-edged, watercolor and colored pencil illustrations, reminiscent of Peter Sis's work, that give cuddly warmth to a familiar message. Karin Snelson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

About the Author

Rainy Dohaney's work has appeared frequently in the New York Times and other publications under another name. She lives in New Jersey with her husband and a hermit crab named Luca.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Atheneum/Anne Schwartz Books; First Edition first Printing edition (May 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689852614
• ISBN-13: 978-0689852619
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 9.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,648,505 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sweet as can be, and gorgeous to look at..., May 18, 2003

By 

Jamie S. Rich (Portland, OR USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Tinka (Hardcover)

This is that rare and special kind of children's book that doesn't play to any particular age or audience, instead choosing to exist in a world where every breathing soul can enjoy its simple message and its fun delivery.

Dohaney's theme isn't new. Her young lamb Tinka follows her dreams, finding the courage to accept her own individuality and seeing life beyond the confines of the tiny farm where her family lives. What's special is that the discovery of this courage does not come at the expense of that family unit--in fact, it enhances Tinka's place amongst the herd (and not in some scary conformist way, either, but in a warm and fuzzy good way).

Adding further to the specialness of the book is Dohaney's unique vision. Tinka's world is not a conventional one. It's filled with oddball characters and a vivid imagination that allows a field of flowers to be seen as a giant spider by those unwilling to look beyond their fenced-in pens. The illustrations have a loving depth of detail, with small touches like ever-present insects used to add an extra dimension to Tinka's farm, bringing it all to life. Dohaney's soft colors are gorgeous, too, and you'll want to spend a good amount of time looking at them even after you're done reading the words.

All in all, a special debut. I plan to buy a couple of copies and give them to friends who have some children on the way, so that they can share the delight I've found in TINKA.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A GORGEOUS book!, May 18, 2003

By 

corey (Atlanta, GA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tinka (Hardcover)

This lovely story about confidence and individuality is a hit with my children and their friends. Little Tinka and her friend Sooty the crow have touched our hearts. The illustrations are beautiful, with lush textures and attention to detail. This book is a favorite at bedtime, that we've read again and again.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Beauty of a Book, July 16, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Tinka (Hardcover)

Ms. Dohaney's debut is a beauty. The drawings are fantastic and the story is sweet. Ignore the age suggestions, because the older kids will love to read this one to their younger siblings. There is SO much to take in with every picture, like each sheep having it's own signature item. Kids will love spotting "MYLA, because she has the glasses", etc.....a true wonderland to explore. Each drawing was made with great attention to detail and is a work of art in its own right. Young and old will love this wonderful book. A great gift idea, with a nice HAPPY ending.