One Wise Sheep

Starred review from July 29, 2024
One “dreary winter night around 4 BCE,” strangers travel to bring gifts to a baby born in a manger. Among these travelers are shepherds sans sheep, whose flocks’ sleep is disturbed by the appearance of a new star “shining bright as the dawn.” Afraid they’ve been abandoned—or that the shepherds have been abducted by UFOs—the sheep panic until a goat brings news of “a great feast day.” Trading fear for excitement, the sheep journey toward the celebration, but since they’re “not mathematically inclined,” they can’t be sure that all members of the flock are present and must rely on trust. Along their journey, they encounter more animals who steer them in the right direction, but they frequently leave one another behind, forcing them to turn back. Through humorous third-person narration that purposefully occludes the size of the flock, Duck’s Backyard collaborators Hub and Mühle explore Christmas through the lens of a bonded animal family in this unique and sweet holiday tale. Mühle’s ink illustrations of benignly smiling sheep depict the passing of time via the sky’s changing colors as the flock pilgrimage to the manger. Ages 6–10.