The Shepherd's Trail
Urbigkit, whose previous books include Brave Dogs, Gentle Dogs: How They Guard Sheep (2005) and A Young Shepherd (2006), now discusses the migration of domestic sheep in the western U.S. In the fall, the sheep are taken to the sagebrush desert for the winter. After breeding in December, followed by shearing and lambing in the spring, they are herded or trucked to their summer range high in the mountains, only to return to the desert in the fall. Clear color photos offer close-ups of individual animals and long-range views of the flocks and the often striking landscapes. Topics discussed in the text include the roles of sheepherders, camptenders, herding dogs, guardian dogs, and sheepshearers, as well as details of the sheep’s lives through the cycle of a year. The many attractive photos provide windows into a part of the world that most children never see. Grades 2-4. --Carolyn Phelan