WHERE IS THE GREEN SHEEP? – BOOK REVIEW

Where is the Green Sheep? by Mem Fox and Judy Horacek. This is a classic children’s favourite. Find out what I really think of this book in my full review!

Contents hide

1 Just Quickly, What Is It?

2 Tell Me More, What’s It All About?

3 Characters?

4 So, What Do I Love About It?

5 Weak Points For Me

6 Quick Summary Review

7 Recommendations

Just Quickly, What Is It?

Follow the adventures of various sheep doing many fun activities, while searching for that elusive green sheep!

Tell Me More, What’s It All About?

‘Here is the thin sheep and here is the wide sheep, here is the swing sheep and here is the slide sheep, but where is the green sheep?’
We are taken through to follow the adventures of various different sheep who are participating in many fun activities, named according to the activity they are undertaking, or the adjective that may best describe them; Here is the red sheep, bed sheep, wide sheep, clown sheep to name a few.
After meeting several sheep, we are asked again, ‘But where is the green sheep?’

Illustrations clearly depict each sheep involved in a particular activity related to its name or with corresponding characteristics, making it easy for very young viewers to associate the name of the sheep with the picture they are viewing.

The location of the green sheep who seems to be playing hide and seek with us, is revealed at the end of the story as a surprise.

Characters?

The green sheep, who we meet at the end along with numerous other, aptly named sheep.

So, What Do I Love About It?

What I love most about this story is the simplistic language used and the opportunity for young pre-readers to predict what the sheep may be named according to the clear illustrations and obvious depictions.
Young children will want this story to be read numerous times to allow them to ‘read’ along, feeling they are reciting the words with the reader and can therefore enjoy many times over.
I enjoyed the surprise element of the location of the green sheep revealed at the end, as well as the rhyming words throughout. We are introduced to new sheep on each page, yet the language continues in the same pattern through the book, which appeals strongly to those very young listeners who respond so well to repetition and the opportunity to predict what will happen.

Weak Points For Me

There is not much I didn’t love in this book, however to engage some older readers, there could be some further detail in some of the simple illustrations. There are some pages which nail this and keep the viewer searching for more and more detail, but most pages are very simplistic and to the point, engaging mostly a younger, toddler aged child.
A preschool – kindergarten aged child (5-7) could still continue to enjoy this one with a few smaller background details in some of the illustrations.

Quick Summary Review

Play a fun hide and seek game trying to find that Green Sheep while meeting many other colourful, talented or adventurous sheep. Simple language, clear, corresponding illustrations and a surprise ending.

Recommendations

This story is aimed at very young children aged 1-3 mostly but can easily be enjoyed by 3-5 year old preschool children too.
Most young viewers will want to revisit this story many times over and recite the words with the reader.