About the Holiday
Is there anything better than celebrating the birthday of a book for the youngest readers? Little ones bring unbridled excitement to finding new stories to love for bedtime or anytime. Smiles, giggles, and requests for “again!” make family reading time the best time of the day! Today’s book addition to those sleepy time snuggles.
One Sheep, Two Sheep
Written by Tammi Sauer | Illustrated by Troy Cummings
The moon and stars are shining and it’s time for Rooster to go to sleep. As he climbs the ramp to his coop, he says goodnight to all of his “wonderful farm friends.” Snuggled under the covers, Rooster drowsily gazes out the window where he’s happy to see the flock of sheep gathering in a field on the other side of the fence. “I must count sheep,” he says.
Image copyright Troy Cummings, 2021, text copyright Tammi Sauer, 2021. Courtesy of Abrams Appleseed.
“One sheep. Two sheep. Three sheep.” The sheep are happy to oblige, each clearing the fence in their own creative way. But then… a chicken hops the fence. Rooster bolts upright in bed. “EEP!” He sticks his head out the window and gives the chicken a little piece of his mind. “Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! A CHICKEN?! I’m sorry, but this is a serious bedtime business.” Then he lets the chicken know that he is a sheep-exclusive counter.
Back in cozy sleep mode, with his stuffed corn cob toy in wing, Rooster goes back to counting three more sheep until… “EEP!” Pig leaps over the fence. This time Rooster’s a little more lenient, but he wants his sheep back. And so he gets them. Sheep seven, eight, and nine jump, soar, and dive over the fence. But… “EEP!” Who’s this? Cow? In a tutu? Doing a jeté?! “Cock-a-doodle-DO WE NEED TO REVIEW?” Rooster says. He reminds them that he needs to count SHEEP and they “don’t look the slightest bit sheepish.” (But of course they do after this scolding.)
Image copyright Troy Cummings, 2021, text copyright Tammi Sauer, 2021. Courtesy of Abrams Appleseed.
Back in bed, Rooster recaps where he is in the lineup. It’s time for number ten. Ahhh… can sleep be far behind? Well, the chicks want to have their turn too, so all seven let loose with “Cheep! Cheep! Cheep! Cheep! Cheep! Cheep! Cheep!” Rooster’s had enough. He comes to the door of his coop and tells each animal what they are. Each answers with a questioning “BAAA?” But Rooster sets them straight. Finally, Rooster is ready to roost, but the sheep—now all on this side of the fence—are ready to enjoy the pond, and with a leap and a “QUACK!” one cannonball’s in! What’s Rooster to do? He’s off to dreamland with his farmyard friends cloaked in fluffy white costumes.
Sure to make kids giggle, count along, and, especially, shout out “EEP!” Tammi Sauer’s One Sheep, Two Sheep is bedtime or story time fun at its best. For readers on the younger side of the target audience, it’s also an ingenious concept book that have little ones counting to ten and learning the names of farm animals in no time. Lots of puns, befuddled animals, and an unexpected ending all add up to a book kids will want to read again and again.
Image copyright Troy Cummings, 2021, text copyright Tammi Sauer, 2021. Courtesy of Abrams Appleseed.
Troy Cummings can always be counted on to accentuate the humor in Sauer’s stories (see their Not Now, Cow!, Abrams Appleseed, 2021 and Caring For Your Lion, Sterling, 2017). Here, the nimble farm animals, Rooster’s frantic facial expressions, silly costumes, and clever coop details will have readers laughing from page to page. Cummings’ simple, bold images and typography invite kids to join in on reading and also work as prompts for little ones to proudly share their knowledge of counting one to ten and the sounds sheep, pigs, chickens, cows, and chicks make.
A terrific addition to any child’s home library, One Sheep, Two Sheep is also a winner for preschool and kindergarten classrooms as well as school and public libraries.
Ages 3 – 6
Abrams Appleseed, 2021 | ISBN 978-1419746307
Discover more about Tammi Sauer and her books on her website.
To learn more about Troy Cummings, his books, and his art, visit his website.
One Sheep, Two Sheep Book Birthday Activities
Sheep Coloring Pages and Dot-to-Dot
Little ones can enjoy coloring and counting with these three printable activity sheets.
Sheep Friends Coloring Page | Cute Ram Coloring Page | Sheep Dot-to-Dot
You can find One Sheep, Two Sheep at these booksellers
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million
To support your local independent bookstore, order from
Picture Book Review
celebratepicturebooks.com 