Charlie and Tess / Sheepdog in the Snow - Hardcover

Hall, Martin

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1888444061 ISBN 13: 9781888444063

Publisher: Little Tiger Pr, 1996

Synopsis

A young lamb that is rescued by a farmer and raised with the family's sheepdog grows up thinking of himself as a dog, and his ability to herd sheep proves very valuable during a severe snowstorm

About this title

From Publishers Weekly:

Orphaned in a snowstorm during lambing season, a lamb is taken in by a farmer's family. The family names the newcomer Charlie and feeds him from a bottle; but their sheepdog, Tess, assumes the primary roles of caretaker and best friend. As Charlie grows under Tess's tutelage, the farmer's wife casually wonders if he is "turning into a dog." In town, he wears a collar and leash while carrying a newspaper with his teeth; in the field, he persists in herding the other sheep. And, indeed, when winter strikes with an early storm, it is Charlie who saves the flock-racing back and forth, baaing, butting the sheep and "pulling at their woolly coats with his teeth." First-time author Hall's homey text rolls out evenly and swiftly, while Walters's (The Dog Who Found Christmas) plays up the similarities between Tess and Charlie by casting the dog as a border collie, black and white just like the lamb. Her tidy and sentimental illustrations gather readers into a contented romance of countryside. Children who liked Babe will find this a quiet, soothing book for wintertime sharing. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist:

Ages 4^-7. One snowy night in early spring, a farmer finds a motherless lamb among his flock and takes it home for his family to feed. Charlie the lamb thrives with all the attention. Eating, sleeping, and playing with Tess the sheepdog, Charlie decides that he's a dog, too, and takes his new job of herding seriously. On a snowy night the following spring, he saves the flock by leading them from the mountainside to a sheltered valley. Showing a love for nature in the detailed depiction of plants and animals, Walters' paintings are precisely delineated scenes of Charlie and Tess in cozy interiors and beautiful, hilly landscapes. Children will enjoy Charlie's growth from lamb to sheepdog as well as the mild humor and adventure in this attractive picture book. A good old-fashioned animal story. Carolyn Phelan

About this edition

• Publisher: Little Tiger Pr
• Publication date: 1996
• ISBN 10: 1888444061
• ISBN 13: 9781888444063
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 32
• Illustrator: Walters Catherine