The Snow Lambs - Hardcover

Gliori, Debi

3.94

94 ratings by Goodreads

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0590203045 ISBN 13: 9780590203043

Publisher: Scholastic, 1996

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When Bess the sheepdog goes missing on a snowy, blowy night, Sam worries, until Bess returns with Dad's best ewe, who had been lost in the storm and who gives birth to twin lambs later that evening.

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From Publishers Weekly:

One snowy night, while redheaded Sam and his father are counting their flock, Bess the sheepdog disappears to search for a pregnant ewe. Bess finds her, but Sam worries about Bess out in the storm: will she ever find her way home? The pair returns in time for the ewe to give birth to snow lambs: "And later, when the wind had dropped from a howl to a whisper, the kitchen filled with newborn bleating." Throughout this suspenseful and ultimately reassuring book, Gliori (My Little Brother) ingeniously uses a "split screen" effect to contrast Sam's warmth and safety at home with the perilous trek of the intrepid dog and trusting ewe. A single spread, for example, shows two frames: on the right Sam's mother blow-dries his hair in a golden-hued interior, while on the left, Bess and the ewe struggle against an icy wind in a gray landscape; in another, Sam digs under a comforter for his pajamas as Bess digs through the snow so the sheep can fit under a fence. Gliori's densely textured, cheerfully cartoony illustrations skillfully use the effects of light to convey sensation and emotion: they evoke the bitterness of the cold and the anxieties lurking in the deep shadows (indoors and out). The combination of unflappable, protective dog, loyal child (who keeps waiting even after his unconcerned parents go to bed) and cute sheep is a winner. Ages 4-7.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal:

Kindergarten-Grade 2?A heroic sheepdog takes center stage in this charming picture book. Sam and his father are out herding sheep when they notice that their dog has disappeared. The child is worried, but his father is more concerned about the sheep. Throughout the cold winter night, Sam continues to worry. In a dramatic split-page technique, Bess's adventures are shown on one side of the double-page spread, while Sam's nightly routine is shown on the other side. The text follows the artwork's theme, depicting the boy digging his pajamas out of his bedding as Bess digs a path through the snow, or Sam listening to a scary story as Bess endures the howling wind. This unity of text and illustration points out the bond between the boy and his dog with powerful understatement. The illustrations are a curious blend of realistic and cartoon styles, and the overall feeling is one of friendly accessibility to the story and characters.?Melissa Hudak, North Suburban District Library, Roscoe, IL
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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