Review by Booklist Review
Ages 3-7. Fans of Shaw's Sheep in a Jeep [BKL S 15 86] will eagerly come aboard a pirate ship for this new adventure. Exhibiting the earlier episode's crayoned flair, evocative facial expressions, and clipped, rhymed narrative, the story takes the sheep saucily out to sea. Quickly lulled to sleep by lapping waves and flapping sails, the mariners awake to pelting hail, rain, and winds of an intense storm: "Decks tip / Sheep slide / Sheep trip / Sheep collide." Escaping to a raft, the critters drift toward shore, and finally "Sheep climb out / Sheep drip / Sheep are glad to end their trip." A joyous lark for story time sharing or for the beginning reader's independent amusement. --Ellen Mandel
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
The team that delivered the winning and funny Sheep in a Jeep have joined forces again for another irresistible trip in rhyme. The sheep are depicted as pirates, lulled to sleep on a calm green sea, but are awakened as ``Dark clouds form / a sudden storm.'' The boat pitches as ``Winds whip. / Sails rip. / Sheep can't sail / their sagging ship.'' Sheep abandon ship for a raft, dragging their treasure chest along, and drift until ``Land ho! / Not far to go.'' When the dripping sheep finally reach the dock they are ``glad to end their trip.'' The spare text is easily mastered by the beginning reader, while adults reading this aloud will appreciate the tongue-twisters and rollicking rhymes. Apple's softly shaded colored pencil drawings add just the right touch of whimsy. Readers will hear the call of the sea, and wish for another adventure--soon. Ages 2-5. (Mar.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Those ebullient sheep who made their debut in the widely praised Sheep in a Jeep (1986) are back for another adventure. Admirably succinct, tongue-twisting verse describes their storm-tossed voyage (""Waves wash across the ship. Waves slosh. Sheep slip. Decks tip. Sheep slide. Sheep trip. Sheep collide""). Making a raft from the disintegrating ship, the sheep manage to get to port--but not without a last comic mishap. It's not clear why these amiable creatures are decked out as pirates, but their gear does add to the visual fun in Apple's lively illustrations--where these wide-eyed sheep are never more perturbed than kids on an amusement-park ride. What a nifty way to tune young ears to rhyme and verbal humor! Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
