marybatson's Full Review: Nancy Shaw - Sheep Trick or Treat
Do you like children’s stories that rhyme? Well I do, especially when paired with well-executed artwork. One of my favorite duos for the toddler crowd is author, Nancy Shaw, and illustrator, Margot Apple. They have collaborated on at least five sheep books that I can name, and each work is just as good as the preceding. Their books are categorized for baby and preschooler’s, but my Kindergartener still appreciates them. Sheep Trick or Treat is a delightful holiday story, one we enjoy all year long.
As Halloween night draws near, the sheep friends make their costumes for trick-or-treating: a dinosaur, a mummy, a vampire, a witch, and two sheep team up to dress in a large ape costume. Neither the vampire nor the witch is mentioned by name, which was probably intentional as not scare young ones.
The sheep take off for the night with lanterns in tow when a wolf spots them passing by. The sheep make it to the Farm in the Dell where the farm animals treat them to “…apples, oats, and sugar lumps.” The spiders offer a tasty delight that's somehow refused. Would you want a dried up fly? When trick-or-treating is over, the sheep head home, but are frightened by rustling noises. The sheep stand to attention, but forget they are dressed in scary clothes. Hiding in the bushes are the wolves, who are cleverly disguised as sheep. The sheep frighten the wolves with their creepy costumes, and the sheep make it home safely to snack on trick-or-treats.
“Wolves peek out from hiding places.
Wolves see scary lit-up faces.
Wolves skedaddle. Sheep skip past.
They settle down with treats at last.”
Of all the Halloween books my sons owns Sheep Trick or Treat is my personal favorite. The writing has a wonderful rhythm, and I love reading it aloud. The situation is absurd, which makes for a hilarious book, plus the illustrations are first-rate. Margot Apple uses mostly color pencil to illustrate the sheep series, which I find refreshing and rather unexpected. I think she washes the backgrounds with watercolor, and then adds the details with the pencils. This kind of artwork has depth, and lots of texture, yet, it’s subdued with soft edges. These aren't wild illustrations by any means. The colors are muted, in browns, yellows, blues, and greens, and it feels like fall. Thus, it's not intimidating to young eyes.
What I admire most about Ms. Apple's illustrations are the expressions. She has a wonderful anthropormophic style. For example, while making their costumes, one of the lambs is squatting on the ground while making the mask for the ape costume. She’s concentrating, with mouth agape while dribbling glue on the mask. Now that's just silly. Another is forming lumps on the back of her friend for the dinosaur costume, and the friend looks bored out of her mind. She’s staring off into space while one of her hooves is holding up her chin. The facial expressions are so human-like, they make us laugh.
There is nothing frightening about this book. In fact, the scariest scene is the front cover with the lamb posing as a vampire. Sheep Trick or Treat is a short book and can be read in less than 2-minutes, but it usually takes us longer because we love the illustrations so. I picked up this book three Halloweens ago, and my son still asks for it at 5, so it has staying power as well. I think the age recommendation is accurate, however; older children may find it amusing. Check it out… you won’t be sorry.
What will happen when the sheep go trick-or-treating? Could there be wolves lurking in the woods, hoping to waylay them as they return home with their...More at HotBookSale
What will happen when the sheep go trick-or-treating? Could there be wolves lurking in the woods, hoping to waylay them as they return home with their...More at HotBookSale
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