Moses and the Runaway Lamb

by Jacqueline Jules, Eleanor Rees Howell (Illustrator)

When a small lamb scampers away from her flock, the young shepherd Moses wonders whether he should chase after her or let her fend for herself in the wilderness. He decides to go after her, not knowing that God is watching. God sees that Moses is the kind of leader who will take care of all the Jewish people when the time comes to leave Egypt.

Genres: Picture Books, Jewish, Childrens

24 pages, Paperback

Published May 2, 2023

About the author

I am a children's author, teacher, librarian, and poet. My books include the Zapato Power series, the Sofia Martinez series, Pluto is Peeved, Unite or Die: How Thirteen States Became a Nation, Duck for Turkey Day, Never Say a Mean Word Again, and Feathers for Peacock. Please visit me at http://www.jacquelinejules.com

Reviews

[Freddie Levin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jacqueline Jules' beautifully illustrated book shows a young Moses at a moment of decision. When you have a whole flock of sheep, is it important to find the one little lamb that has strayed? Moses decides it is. This decision shows God that Moses will be a good leader for all his people, no matter how small. A lovely book to show the youngest readers (or listeners) that acts of kindness and caring are important.

[Gail Fisher · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story about Moses is one of my favorites. Why exactly DID God choose him to lead the Children of Israel out of Egypt and to the Promised Land? The midrash tells it very baldly - there was a lamb that went astray, Moses went after it and brought it back, and God saw that he took such good care of his entire flock, even the smallest and the weakest, that he could be relied on to take the same good care of the people. This book makes that story come alive. We follow Moses in real-time as he decides whether he should go after the lamb, persists in following the lamb, has a few moments of wondering whether it's worth the chase but always decides that it is, and continues until he does find the lamb. And even then, we see his compassion as he waits for the lamb to drink its fill before lovingly carrying it in his arms - a long way back for a little lamb to walk! - back to its mother. The story really comes to life when you experience it alongside Moses. He was unwilling to let even one tiny lamb get lost and risk danger. The illustrations complement the book perfectly, and I would heartily recommend it to all ages.

[Ann Koffsky · Rating 5 out of 5]

This classic midrash is one of my favorites, and Jules has retold it beautifully for children . When a small sheep from Moses's herd is lost, Moses diligently hunts for it, and ultimately finds and returns it home. His actions help God understand that Moses will be the perfect leader for the people of Israel. I love this midrash because it takes what could be the character of a lofty, distant lawgiver and instead imagines him as approachable, doing everything things. The story also argues that compassion is the most important and defining feature of leadership. Jules's telling heightens the drama of Moses's quest for the lost sheep, and the illustrations use perspective shifts and beautiful abstractions to engage the eye. Highly Recommend!

[Tami Lehman-Wilzig · Rating 5 out of 5]

There’s a gentle sense of harmony between text and illustrations in this wonderful retelling of a classic midrash about Moses. The Children of Israel need more than a leader to guide them out of Egypt. They require a compassionate father figure who knows when to be stern, and when to show understanding. In search of the right candidate god observes Moses – the once prince now turned shepherd – tenderly treat a runaway lamb with a mischievous Hide ‘n Seek nature that could easily have worn him down. Instead Moses shows kindness and responsibility.
A perfect read-aloud picture book for children. Highly recommended.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully illustrated book that makes an important point about character through story rather than bland statements. A good potential discussion starter for my Hebrew School class when we study the Exodus story. Fits well with my approach of using Midrash as a central part of our Torah study meaning-making.

[Gabrielle Stoller · Rating 1 out of 5]

Soft and nice illustrations. But nope. Not a fan of the story. It was weird (I probably didn't get the Jewish history behind this tale) and it also missed the parts that were, I don't know, Biblical.

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Based on a midrash, God deems young Moses to be the right man to lead His people when He observes how he patiently follows a wayward lamb and brings it back to the flock. Nicely illustrated.

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful art. Very sweet message about caring for all, no matter how small.

P.s. I appreciated the author's note on the copyright page about this being a midrash.