REVIEW: The Strange Case of the Missing Sheep

Catusanu, M.  (2009).  The Strange Case of the Missing Sheep.  New York:  Viking.

9780670011315


Appetizer:  "Inspired by TRUE events," this "thriller"shares the story of how a wolf tempted ten sheep to his house in the dark forest.  It's up to the sheep dog to find the sheep and bring them home.

What a fun picturebook!  I love how this story has a lot of fun with a wolf trying to catch the sheep.

There's a lot of activity on each page, with signs, arrows, the occasional definition, not to mention all the different activities the sheep get up to.  Kids will want to spend some time staring at the stylized (predominately orange) illustrations.

I especially like the endpages of this thriller picturebook, since they show a pair of hands with the one of the ten sheep above each finger, it would be the PERFECT page to pause over with a toddler to reaffirm how to count to ten.


Dinner Conversation:

"In a place called Happy Valley, there lived ten sheep...and one Super Sheep Dog named Doug."

"Next to the Happy Valley was the Dark Forest.  Wolf lived here.  And he had a problem...."

"I need sheep..."

"Sheep, get in line!  I...2...3..."


To Go with the Meal:

This fun book can be used as a bedtime read, with a teacher or parent discussing some of the routines necessary to get ready for sleep and encouraging wee little ones to count sheep as they drift off.  And in general, this book can be used to help with counting.

This could also be a fun read.  Kids will like that it plays with expectations over why the wolf wants the sheep.


Tasty Rating:  !!!!