Review by Booklist Review
Pres-Gr. 1. Russell is one wide-awake sheep. When the sky grows dark and the other sheep in Frogsbottom Field drift into slumbers, Russell's eyes (BOING! ) are wide open. It's not for lack of trying: he pulls a nightcap over his eyes, removes his wool, and uses a pillow. He tries different locations: a rusty car, a hollow tree, a high branch. And counting things: his legs, the stars, and finally (yawn) sheep. Even young children will relate to Russell's predicament in this simple, satisfying story told with economy and illustrated with wit. The artwork, in a cool palette of muted blues, greens, and grays, is subtle and pleasing. But the real fun here is in the details, from the fat sleeping sheep with their skinny legs pointing skyward to the small, expressive changes in Russell's round eyes. A droll bedtime read-aloud that will amuse those listening as well as those reading --Carolyn Phelan Copyright 2005 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Humans who have trouble falling asleep have been known to count sheep. But what do insomniacs of the woolly-coated variety do? Russell, a sheep longing for shuteye, is on the case in this sweet-natured picture book. When all is quiet except for Russell, the playfully stocking-capped critter tries everything to lull himself into slumber. Making things darker doesn't help: "the really dark really scared him." And searching for a new place to get cozy is a bust, too. ("He tried the hollow of a tree./ That was too creepy!") At long last he gives counting a go: his feet, the stars in the sky-and ultimately, sheep-to fine effect. British native Scotton's children's book debut blends silly and warm into the kind of package that appeals to a broad age range. His stylized sheep-all fleecy white fluff atop matchstick-thin legs, with ping-pong-ball eyes-are simultaneously endearing and comic against a dark night-sky background. The compositions vary in perspective, and Scotton uses spot illustrations to pick up the pace, and framed full-spread paintings when Russell takes a pause. This fresh-feeling bedtime story about one animal's restless ramblings should prove an entertaining send-off-to-the-Sandman for young readers. Ages 3-7. (Apr.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1-Russell can't sleep. While the other sheep are dozing off, he ponders the problem of insomnia. Is he too hot or too cold? Perhaps a better place would help. When nothing works, he tries counting things. He starts with his feet, and then moves on to the stars ("six hundred million billion and ten")-twice. Finally, the quintessential clich? comes to him, and he counts sheep. Russell nods off just as the new day dawns and the others awaken. Scotton makes a captivating debut with this comical tale. He illustrates it with a witty, engaging, and fluffy character bathed in calming blue hues. With his wide-eyed, startled expression; froggy sidekick; and animated, blue-and-white-striped nightcap, Russell will win the hearts of readers, who will want to look at the pictures over and over to catch all the clever detail.-Be Astengo, Alachua County Library, Gainesville, FL (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
After Russell the sheep tries everything to find sleep, he counts things: body parts, stars, and, finally, sheep. Only after he counts himself does he nod off. The story doesn't amount to much, but the turquoise-tinted illustrations, which feature a big-eyed protagonist who wouldn't be out of place in a Wallace & Gromit cartoon, make that easy to overlook. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Scotton makes a stylish debut with this tale of a sleepless sheep--depicted as a blocky, pop-eyed, very soft-looking woolly with a skinny striped nightcap of unusual length--trying everything, from stripping down to his spotted shorts to counting all six hundred million billion and ten stars, twice, in an effort to doze off. Not even counting sheep . . . well, actually, that does work, once he counts himself. Dawn finds him tucked beneath a rather-too-small quilt while the rest of his flock rises to bathe, brush and riffle through the Daily Bleat. Russell doesn't have quite the big personality of Ian Falconer's Olivia, but more sophisticated fans of the precocious piglet will find in this art the same sort of daffy urbanity. Quite a contrast to the usual run of ovine-driven snoozers, like Phyllis Root's Ten Sleepy Sheep, illustrated by Susan Gaber (2004). (Picture book. 6-8) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
