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Amos's Sweater
Winner of the Governor General's Award for Illustration, the Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Illustrator's Award and the Ruth Schwartz Award
Amos the sheep is old and cold and tired of giving up all his wool. But despite his noisy objections, Aunt Hattie shears Amos once again and knits his wool into a brightly colored sweater for Uncle Henry.
Poor Amos decides that this time he has had enough — and he sets out to reclaim what is rightfully his.
Amos the sheep is old and cold and tired of giving up all his wool. But despite his noisy objections, Aunt Hattie shears Amos once again and knits his wool into a brightly colored sweater for Uncle Henry.
Poor Amos decides that this time he has had enough — and he sets out to reclaim what is rightfully his.
- GenresPicture BooksChildrens
32 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1991
34 people want to read
About the author
Janet Lunn
30 books36 followersJanet was born Janet Louise Swoboda on December 28, 1928 in Dallas, Texas, U.S.A, moved to Vermont when she was two and lived there until she was ten when the family moved to the outskirts of New York City. She came to Canada in 1946 to go to Notre Dame College in Ottawa and then to Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario. There she met and married Richard Lunn, a fellow student. She has lived in Canada ever since. Janet has five children, ten grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Her husband died in 1987.
"Those," she says, "are the bare bones of my life story. The part that's interesting to readers has to do with reading, writing and daydreaming which are all, in my case, one and the same." She calls herself a dedicated daydreamer and says she has been that, "almost from the moment I was born. Even before I could read I was dreaming up stories. The sound of the wind in the ancient pine tree outside my window in our old farmhouse accompanied all my childhood imaginings. When I was in my teens and living far from that beloved home, I began writing stories with the sound of that tree still singing in my head."
Years later, in Canada, when her children were in their school years, the Lunn family went to live in an old farmhouse at the edge of a bay on the north shore of Lake Ontario. "I loved that house, too, she says, "and I began writing stories about it and the people who might once have lived in it. The stories I made up about the Vermont house have long since vanished but the ones I wrote about the Ontario-house families are The Root Cellar, Shadow in Hawthorn Bay and The Hollow Tree."
Janet lives in Ottawa now in a small city house but, chances are, her stories will still reflect her love of the countryside and those old farmhouses.
"Those," she says, "are the bare bones of my life story. The part that's interesting to readers has to do with reading, writing and daydreaming which are all, in my case, one and the same." She calls herself a dedicated daydreamer and says she has been that, "almost from the moment I was born. Even before I could read I was dreaming up stories. The sound of the wind in the ancient pine tree outside my window in our old farmhouse accompanied all my childhood imaginings. When I was in my teens and living far from that beloved home, I began writing stories with the sound of that tree still singing in my head."
Years later, in Canada, when her children were in their school years, the Lunn family went to live in an old farmhouse at the edge of a bay on the north shore of Lake Ontario. "I loved that house, too, she says, "and I began writing stories about it and the people who might once have lived in it. The stories I made up about the Vermont house have long since vanished but the ones I wrote about the Ontario-house families are The Root Cellar, Shadow in Hawthorn Bay and The Hollow Tree."
Janet lives in Ottawa now in a small city house but, chances are, her stories will still reflect her love of the countryside and those old farmhouses.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
April 22, 2026
Amos was an old sheep who was cold all the time. When Aunt Hattie would come out to shear him of his warm wool coat, he was not happy. One day, Aunt Hattie came to shear him, even though Amos protested, and then she knit a sweater for Uncle Henry from the wool. It took a lot of effort and naughtiness for Amos to get them to understand his problem. Funny story with great illustrations.
January 19, 2021
Good for you Amos!
January 29, 2015
Amos is sick and tired of people taking his wool, he’s old and he’s cold and just wants to keep his wool. When the farmer’s wife sheers Amos to take his wool to make the farmer a sweater, Amos get’s really mad. Anytime the sweater is near him, whether it is on the farmer or hanging off a fence, Amos bites on to it and pulls. The farmer’s wife has to keep mending the sweater due to holes.
This is a very cute and funny story about a sheep that just wants to stay warm, and how he eventually conquers that mission :0)
The children in my class really enjoy this story, and it does cause quite a bit of discussions especially about how Amos is feeling.
This is a very cute and funny story about a sheep that just wants to stay warm, and how he eventually conquers that mission :0)
The children in my class really enjoy this story, and it does cause quite a bit of discussions especially about how Amos is feeling.
August 7, 2013
Ages 2 and up
Amos the sheep is old and cold and tired of giving his wool away. After Aunt Hattie shears Amos and knits a sweater from his wool, Amos tries desperately to get it back. One day Amos succeeds and gets himself tangled in the sweater and manages to put it on. Aunt Hattie and Uncle Henry realize that Amos is old and cold and does not want to give his wool away. Amos then spends the rest of his days in the field wearing the sweater made of his wool.
This would be a good book to talk about how sheep have wool and why we shear it. You can use the silly story of Amos and his sweater to talk about how books can tell us how things work in the world.
Amos the sheep is old and cold and tired of giving his wool away. After Aunt Hattie shears Amos and knits a sweater from his wool, Amos tries desperately to get it back. One day Amos succeeds and gets himself tangled in the sweater and manages to put it on. Aunt Hattie and Uncle Henry realize that Amos is old and cold and does not want to give his wool away. Amos then spends the rest of his days in the field wearing the sweater made of his wool.
This would be a good book to talk about how sheep have wool and why we shear it. You can use the silly story of Amos and his sweater to talk about how books can tell us how things work in the world.
December 19, 2009
This is a wonderful book about an old goat, Amos that doesn't want to give up his wool anymore. You see, Amos was cold. Aunt Hattie had to chase him all over the pasture to get his wool. She did succeed but then Amos was cold and mad. There is a happy ending to this story but I won't give it away. Although, there is a hint in the title.
This was a delightful book even for a too serious adult like me! the pictures capture all of Amos's emotions in beautiful colours.
This was a delightful book even for a too serious adult like me! the pictures capture all of Amos's emotions in beautiful colours.
July 28, 2007
Folk art, flying fleece and fury contrast the carefree contentment of two oblivious farmers with the blatant anguish of their frustrated sheep in this hilarious example of the bliss of being understood.
Listen to our chat about this family favourite on our JustOneMoreBook.com podcast:
[http://www.justonemorebook.com/2007/0...]
Listen to our chat about this family favourite on our JustOneMoreBook.com podcast:
[http://www.justonemorebook.com/2007/0...]
November 19, 2012
If I could give this book 6 stars I would. One of my very favorite picture books. Amos is a grumpy and not-so-cuddly sheep who has every right to be this way. This book is humorous but also touching as you see how Amos asserts himself and is finally "understood" by the farmers. Highly, highly recommend this wonderful book.
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September 7, 2007Amos was old and Amos was cold and Amos was tired of giving away all his wool. Now he is in search of what is rightfully his.
January 21, 2016
Would be better with grade 1 I think but I like the length of it.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews