Book Review—Little Ewe: The Story of One Lost Sheep

This book releases February 23, 2021. To celebrate, the author and Beaming Books are offering a giveaway to readers within the United States. To enter, leave a comment at the bottom of this post. Winner will be selected at random on Tuesday, February 23, and announced in my March newsletter. (Not subscribed yet? Click here.)

Child or grownup, we’ve all wandered off the path set for us by our Heavenly Father, and Jesus told a parable about his desire to search out all who are lost. Now you can introduce children to that parable with the new picture book Little Ewe: The Story of One Lost Sheep.

As you might expect, Little Ewe wanders away from her flock, enticed by all the things she’d rather do, like chase three lizards and watch four spiders. Yes, this rhyming rendition is also a counting book! My four-year-old grandson enjoyed counting the numbered items (from one to twelve) whenever they appeared.

Some of the spreads give parents and grandparents an opening to talk about obedience … and its opposite:

“Shepherd beckons from the hill.
‘I’ll come,’ [Ewe] bleats,
but not until . . .”

In the end, Ewe is tired, cold, and lost, until Shepherd finds her and carries her home.

“Home again, all gather round.
The shepherd’s lamb,
once lost . . . is found!”

I like the size and quality production of this book, including the heavy paper stock and the use of the artist’s pencil sketches on the endpapers.

I appreciate Shepherd’s darker skin tone and the sweet closing illustrations of Little Ewe and Shepherd together again. I would have liked a reference to Jesus’ actual parable somewhere in the book.

All in all, a nice addition to preschool and family bookshelves!

Little Ewe: The Story of One Lost Sheep
written by Laura Sassi, illustrated by Tommy Doyle
published by Beaming Books (2021)
hardcover picture book, 32 pages, 9.1 x 0.4 x 9.1 inches

Making God’s wonders knows to the next generation,

– Diane

8 Responses to “Book Review—Little Ewe: The Story of One Lost Sheep”

  1. Reply amy guillaume linderman

    oh my goodness the illustrations are so sweet!!! i would love to take this to church camp! the kids would love it!

  2. Reply Jodi Wresh

    The illustrations are cute and this would be perfect for my great nephews and great niece

  3. Reply Blair Bigelow

    I started a back yard story time during the pandemic since my church is not offering Sunday school during this time. I take a bag of books and read for the kids and pray with them in their yard or porch. I would love to add this to my book bag! Sounds like it has some great discussion prompts.

  4. Reply Melinda Smith

    I love that counting is incorporated-a good message to learn and a little bit more education along the way!

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