Orphaned in a snowstorm during lambing season, a lamb is taken in by a farmer's family. The family names the newcomer Charlie and feeds him from a bottle; but their sheepdog, Tess, assumes the primary roles of caretaker and best friend. As Charlie grows under Tess's tutelage, the farmer's wife casually wonders if he is "turning into a dog." In town, he wears a collar and leash while carrying a newspaper with his teeth; in the field, he persists in herding the other sheep. And, indeed, when winter strikes with an early storm, it is Charlie who saves the flock-racing back and forth, baaing, butting the sheep and "pulling at their woolly coats with his teeth." First-time author Hall's homey text rolls out evenly and swiftly, while Walters's (The Dog Who Found Christmas) plays up the similarities between Tess and Charlie by casting the dog as a border collie, black and white just like the lamb. Her tidy and sentimental illustrations gather readers into a contented romance of countryside. Children who liked Babe will find this a quiet, soothing book for wintertime sharing. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
Kindergarten-Grade 2. Charlie, a motherless lamb, is taken into the farmer's home during a snowstorm. He is treated as a pet, raised by the family sheep dog, Tess, and taught many of the skills of herding. When he grows too large for the house, Charlie must join the rest of the flock. During a snowstorm, his herding skills enable him to save the sheep from disaster. This simple story is not adequately developed. Charlie and Tess are not well-realized characters and the humans are flat and wooden. The farmer and the farmer's wife are not even named. The illustrations are pleasant and colorful, but lack vitality and style. Pass on Charlie and Tess.?Jean Pollock, King Country Library System, Seattle, WA
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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