The Day The Sheep Showed Up

by David McPhail

In this funny story with an important message by popular author and artist David McPhail, barnyard animals discover how they are alike and how they are different from a new animal on the farm.

Genres: Animals, Picture Books, Childrens, School, Friendship

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

About the author

David was born in Newburyport, Massachusetts and attended the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. While there, he began illustrating. He is now an award-winning author and illustrator of nearly 200 books beloved by children, parents and librarians across the United States. McPhail has garnered many prestigious awards, including a New York Times Book Review Best Illustrated Book of the Year for Mole Music in 2001. McPhail’s other books include First Flight, which the New York Times praised as “hilarious and helpful”; and Lost!, which was chosen as an American Bookseller Pick of the Lists.

McPhail has four children, three stepchildren, and is a proud grandfather. He is married to Jan Waldron, with whom he has written and illustrated several books. He lives in Rye, New Hampshire.

Reviews

[Edward Sojuwa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another reminder of the old saying in Animal Farm that all animals, like humans, are created equal, and some more equal than others, but this time the message is more upbeat about diversity as a positive instead of a negative. The farm animals of this story can't figure out the new member of the farm, the one with the fuzzy white stuff on his body and cloven hooves. The one that goes BAAA instead of MOOO. The wooly critter introduces himself as a sheep, and shows the others that, even different, a sheep is the same as any animal on any farm. Okay, cringe at this if you must. It's merely a sign that you also needed this message. You will accept it. Give it time.
Three stars
You will be rejoicing, bringing in the SHEEP!

[Luisa Knight · Rating 3 out of 5]

The animals aren't sure what to make of the new arrival to the farm. What type of animal can it be? Cute pictures add to this fun, little story.

Reading Level: 1st - 2nd grades

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Makes my kids happy

[Andrea]

is fun

[Julia Jasztal · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mommy's review from 12/5/11 -


This has already been explained so I won't go into it. It's all very simple anyway and would be overly repetitive if it weren't for the different animals and the small details on each.
For us this was only good because Julia read most of it herself. Most of the words are great for beginner to intermediate readers and my daughter, at 6, is just getting to where she wants to do more reading and less listening.
If yours is the same I'd say this is a good one to get.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

When the sheep shows up, the other animals in the barnyard try to figure out what kind of animal he is. They compare their own features and sounds to his (he doesn't have webbed feet, so can't be a duck or a goose, but he is white like they are.) Good for farm storytimes or for discussion of like and different, as it includes ways the animals are alike and ways they are different (not just one or the other). Fun illustrations by David McPhail. Wish this one was still in print!

[Elizabeth S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Basically, this is a fun and silly book. The kids enjoy laughing at the confusion of the barn animals. And the kids enjoy helping them know the REAL answers. You can really read and laugh with this one.

If you want to, you could also spend time specifically talking about how, just like the farm animals, people are the same and different all at once.

[Muse Here · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute story, the sheep comes to a farm with clueless animals and each one tries to figure out what type of animal it is, by comparing it to the other animals. Thankfully though, the sheep knows what kind of animal it is and can set everyone straight. I liked the comparisons and how silly the other animals are.

[Brian Barnett · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a good book for beginning readers. The language is simple and throughout it compares and contrasts farm animals (ex: some have two legs with webbed feet, some have four legs and eat clover, etc.).

[Karl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not particularly interesting in any particular way.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not actually an amazing story or anything, but the teacher in me kept thinking "this would be great for teaching Venn Diagrams - I have to remember this book." So here's where I'm remembering it!

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

This adorable book demonstrates the concept of different and same in a fun easy to read way.

New readers will love this book and preschoolers will love having it read to them.