Sheep in Wolves' Clothing

A comic mystery that will keep readers guessing

When Georgina, Hubert, and Gogol -- three sheep -- have their fleecy coats stolen from the beach while they are swimming, they suspect that some wily wolves have pulle dthe wool over their eyes. To catch the thieves, the sheep enlist the help of Elliott Baa, private detective. But will Elliott's street smarts, combined with the help of a gang of rugby-loving cats, be enough to crack this baa-ffling case? Satoshi Kitamura's colorful, antic illustrations bring this comic mystery to life.

Kindergarten-Grade 3?Georgina, Hubert, and Gogol go to great lengths to get to the beach for one last carefree day of summer sun, surf, and fun. Once there, these innocent lambs get fleeced (defleeced?) by some cagey characters (miniature-golf playing wolves) who smooth talk them out of their fur coats. Cold, exhausted, and feeling rather sheepish, the trio follow the trail of the culprits and wend their way to town. With the help of Georgina's cousin, Elliot Baa, Private Detective, and some rugby-playing cats, the mystery of the missing fleece is unraveled and the wolves are caught red-handed. All is tied up neatly at the end with the sheep returning to their meadow, slightly wiser and none the worse for wear. Kitamura's deadpan delivery and cinematic cartoons work together swimmingly. The bold-print text with occasional dialogue balloons is easy to read and has a fine sense of comic timing. Bright kinetic illustrations are filled with sly jokes and clever details. The enormously expressive characters are endearing (even the big, bad Wolfgang & Bros.) and absurdly funny. Kids will love to watch and listen as this rollicking yarn unwinds.?Luann Toth, School Library Journal
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

In this kid-pleasingly convoluted effort, three unwary sheep are fleeced of their outerwear by four wily wolves (or, perhaps, "woolves"), the mafioso-like manufacturers of Wolfgang & Bros. apparel. The sheep enlist the help of a detective cousin to win back their wool, and further adventures ensue. Kitamura's (When Sheep Cannot Sleep) elaborately spun plot has more twists and turns than a ball of yarn. Panel insets and cartoons with dialogue balloons mix manically with half-, full- and double-page spreads. Every blade of grass and cobblestone gets careful attention in Kitamura's precise, rectangular renderings, painted in slightly muted, subtly mottled watercolors. The effect is of controlled chaos-high comedy that stops just short of baa-laboring its own jokes. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Ages 4^-7. First published in Great Britain, this deftly illustrated story concerns three sheep who go swimming and end up losing their woolly coats to a pack of conniving wolves. They consult a detective, who leads them to the wolves' knit shop. After a chaotic fracas (in which many balls of yarn are fiercely hurled), the sheep prevail and return to their meadow wearing colorful, new wool sweaters. The story goes on a bit too long, but Kitamura's lively, comical drawings, tinted with dusky washes, give the picture book enough adventure and comedy to appeal to young children who like books where something happens. Carolyn Phelan