Sheepwrecked

May 1, 2024
A "baa"-nd of pirates gets the wool pulled over their eyes. After a treasure-hunting foray, Captain Hoof and his crew of fleecy sheep are homeward bound with a glittery bounty--the lost Golden Shears, which once belonged to the infamous Woolly Jones. Suddenly, huge waves engulf and smash their ship. They're sheepwrecked and stranded on Foggy Island, home to none other than Woolly Jones. After nearly a month of failed attempts to get off the island, Captain Hoof decides to return the shears to their rightful owner. Trekking across the island through fog as thick and impenetrable as wool, captain and crew eventually bump into their nemesis, who snatches the shears from the captain's hooves. Expecting dire consequences, everyone starts to flee, but things turn out wool, er, well. In a 90-degree book turn, Woolly is depicted using the shears to give himself a much-needed "woolcut." He's grateful for the shears--and for the company after a long, lonely spell. Captain Hoof and crew are delighted at this outcome. This is a cute tale, though the plot is a bit thin; the numerous, amusing sheep puns will appeal more to grown-ups than kids. But the digital illustrations are comical and dynamic, and the all-ovine protagonists are lively and expressive. The book contains lots of typographical creativity, including some onomatopoeic words, incorporated into the artwork, and maps in the endpapers include islands bearing funny, aptly punny names. A cheery story that "wool" likely evoke some smiles. (Picture book. 5-8)

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Starred review from August 23, 2024

K-Gr 4-This book will require no coaxing of children to get them to read it-quite the opposite. The vibrant, colorful illustrations will appeal to young readers as soon as the cover comes into view. Their interest will already be piqued by the title, and the chaotic cover reveals a clue or two to what's inside: a pirate ship in shambles and worried looks on the sheep trying to keep it afloat. The sheep need to get to Foggy Island where an old pirate, Woolly Jones, lives as he is the only one able to help them. Fun for pre-readers, this story is also suitable for older kids due to playful language. The text abounds with puns ("Wooly is me" instead of "Woe is me"), Shakespearean quotes ("All's wool that ends well"), alliteration, visual spoofs (Woolson instead of Wilson, the ball from Castaway). Teachers can introduce all of these things incidentally and begin referring to other examples upon further reading. VERDICT Reading this book on more than one level makes it a must-buy for the elementary school library; its appeal crosses grade levels, which is unusual, but it never stops being perfectly timed silliness that even very young children will love.-Joan Kindig

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