Baa Baa Black Sheep
K-Gr 3-As she did with Itsy, Bitsy Spider (Charlesbridge, 1998), Trapani takes an old rhyme and adds her own spin to it. Illustrated in muted watercolors, with a setting suggestive of a Victorian winter, the book features Ms. Sheep and her friends, all of whom want something from her. Kittens want milk, a pig wants slop, the dog wants bones, and a horse wants hay. Alas, except for the master, the dame, and the little boy who lives down the lane, the sheep just can't fill her neighbors' requests. As a result, all of them are in a huff, and cry out "Boo, boo, black sheep, shame on you!" However, she has a surprise for them. As it so happens, she has been hard at work knitting a woolen surprise for each and every one of them-mittens for the cats, a shawl for the horse, a fine hat for the pig. In the end, everyone has learned the value of sharing, and they come to her door loaded with presents. The illustrations are pleasing and the expressions on the faces engaging. The story itself works, although it's not particularly engaging. Other old favorites on sharing and caring, such as Angela Johnson's Julius (Orchard, 1993) or Nancy Carlson's Harriet's Halloween Candy (First Avenue, 1994) are just as much fun.Roxanne Burg, Thousand Oaks Library, CACopyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.