Sheep

by Valerie Hobbs

The sheep closed in around him like a big, woolly blanket. The puppy had never been so scared or so excited in his life. Soon he was racing, feinting, dodging—learning what it means to be one of the proud breed of Border collies, the finest sheepherders in the world. Then, almost overnight, his life is turned upside down. He finds himself in a series of strange places, with no sheep, his family gone. With nothing but the courage he was born with and a dream, he searches for the life he once knew, gathering names and adventures as he goes. For a short time, he's called Blackie. To the Goat Man, he's Shep. To Hollerin, he's Spot. There's one name that threatens to haunt him forever—Sparky, the name Billy the circus man calls him. But there's another name that he is given, one that finally makes him feel at home. . . .

Genres: Animals, Dogs, Fiction, Childrens, Adventure, Young Adult, Juvenile

128 pages, Hardcover

First published March 21, 2006

About the author

Valerie Hobbs is the author of many award winning novels for young adults including Sonnys War, Tender, and How Far Would You Have Gotten If I Hadnt Called You Back, for which she was designated a Flying Start author by Publishers Weekly in 1996. Hobbs was the winner of the 1999 PEN/Norma Klein award for an emerging voice of literary merit among American writers of childrens fiction and the Arizona Library Association Young Adult Author of the Year in 2003. Defiance, her most recent middle-grade novel, was given the 2006 most distinguished fiction award by the Childrens Literature Council of Southern California and has been nominated for twelve state awards. "

Reviews

[Scott Rhee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This week, my daughter is really into books about dogs. Last week, it was The Babysitters Club, the week before that, it was My Little Pony. Who knows what to expect next? That's kind of the fun thing about having an eight-year-old reader in the house. I'm actually glad she has eclectic tastes.

Anyway, "Sheep" is a short little novel (her age-group calls it a "chapter book") about a border collie who is sold as a puppy from a sheep farm. Set in California during the 1930s (it's not specified exactly when, although there are enough Great Depression-era references to suggest it, including more than a few John Steinbeck nods), Jack goes on a series of adventures in his search to get back to the sheep farm. He is given to the circus, teams up with a pair of hobo con-artists, travels with a wise man known as Goat Man, and then ends up hiding out in an orphanage for boys, trying to help one young shy kid find the perfect parents.

My daughter and I take turns reading a chapter (or two) a night. She sometimes gets bored with chapter books and gives up after a few chapters, but this book, written by Valerie Hobbs, really kept her enraptured. My daughter loves dogs, too, and Hobbs has created a lovable dog-protagonist in Jack.

If you're like me, and you have this thing about dog books, let me allay your fears: no dogs die in this, I swear. I know, I hate when they do that in dog books, too, especially in children's literature.

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book aloud to my students. This book is in first person from the dog's perspective. It is a bit heavier than you might think. Most of the book is very sad, as you would expect from a book about a homeless dog. The students seemed to enjoy it, and the ending is quite wonderful. I would recommend it to children in fourth or fifth grade who are wanting something with more depth.

My students just voted this book their favorite of the books nominated for the California Young Reader Award.

[Ensiform · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jack, a young border collie, lives on a sheep ranch in California, eager to join his father in herding the sheep. Just as he begins to learn the trade, however, the ranch burns down, and the dogs are sold off to a pet store. Jack goes from one home to the next, one human after another, looking for food and companionship, and always yearning to be fulfilled by getting a job herding sheep. He goes by the name Blackie, Shep, Sparky, and Spot, learning new things with each new owner, some of whom are less than ideal. Most important is the Goat Man, an itinerant hobo who travels in a caravan with a small herd of goats. But when he's taken by a cruel circus master named Billy, Jack makes a run for it to find a permanent home.

This is a great book for third graders. My students enjoyed it a lot, and its short chapters made it easy to find stopping points. The varied cast of characters, the ups and downs of Jack's fortunes, and the sassy, cocky attitude of the narrator all make the book seem like the literary equivalent of a Disney animated feature in the vein of Lady and the Tramp or Oliver and Company. Hobbs does a great job walking the line between the brutality of a homeless dog's life and the unflagging optimism of the dog who won't give up.

[shalea :) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this.

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is charming. Written from a dog's perspective, a dog who only wants to herd sheep, it is a tale of perserverance and friendship. Recommended for anyone young or young at heart.

[Bethany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh February school read-a-thon, how do I love thee? My son gets really into the competition and reads every minute he can spare. And when he gets tired, then he lets me read to him. We read for about an hour a day and he's snuggled up with me in our favorite spot and it's just the best ever. Why do little boys have to grow up?

We've read all the Battle of the Books and this was in our top three. It's a sweet story and this pup is very insightful. I like how this book is written in the dog's voice and encourages the reader to "read between the lines" to translate dog observations into reality. I'd consider having a dog if I could have one like this pup; he definitely grows on you.

[Levi Mohr · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a bout a dog who is separated from his family and his sheep. This is a very good book. The author did a good job of making it interesting but not too long and boring. I liked how I could understand what was happening and I also liked the story line. I did not like how some parts that could have been more detailed were not. I also did not like how there were two large spots that lacked suspense. But the ending was pretty good. I think the author did a great job and its a great book.

[Ryan Callahan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked how happy it was at the beginning, towards the middle it turns out so, so sad. I did not quite like the middle. But at the end it turned happy again.

[Gail · Rating 4 out of 5]

It expressed hope and adventure as a dog with a purpose and a mission. Who learns how to love and live life the best way possible.

[Rod Brown · Rating 1 out of 5]

The autobiography of a Border collie, à la Anna Sewell's Black Beauty, with similar moments of misery and animal cruelty.

The author had trouble convincing me that she had found the dog's voice, as constant inconsistencies and contradictions popped up, with the dog claiming ignorance of a lot of basic concepts and yet still having lots of information about the world around him, including an interest in state names, dog breeds, and circus animals. It reminded me of Phil Hartman's Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer from Saturday Night Live: "Your honor, I'm just a simple dog who longs only to herd sheep, but when I see the moral turpitude exhibited by these so-called 'animal trainers' I can only think of the villainous Simon Legree from Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin or, Life Among the Lowly, originally published in two volumes in 1852 following a magazine serialization in 1851."

But what killed the book for me was using this dissonance to excuse the comic use of the R-slur as a running gag for two chapters, sure to be laughed at and emulated by younger readers. Nope. Nope. Nope.

[Gwyneth Stewart]

Made me sad but good.

[Red · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sheep is written in a manner of an aged book. Told from the dog's POV through his many owners and many experiences. Death, murder, crime, abuse, it's all there, if you read subtext as well as catch onto what the dog is talking about. Jack's life goes from something normal to a stray starving or following homeless people around. He assists in crimes, follows goats, and herds animals. Jack's story is not an interesting one, it's an overly depressing one.

To edge into the sadness of death, abuse, and animal cruelty, Jack meets Luke, an orphan, and becomes his dog. Luke's unable to read and very down in the dumps. Knowing how foster cares and adoption places are filled with abuse, this is even more saddening.

All in all, this is not a happy book, or one worth reading, really. There's a lot better dog books out there. This one drags and feels very old-fashioned in writing. Jack's life is saddening and it ends on the implication he'll be with Luke for life, but going off his track record of luck, that's unlikely. Jack also has dreams of his past owners which is sad, as some of them are abusive or dead.

A very somber book, worth passing up for another dog book. I took nothing away from this and couldn't really find a reason to like Jack, his personality is nonexistent as are most of the supporting cast's personalities. Very bland.

[Amanda Yeargin]

I decided to read Sheep as a IR Book. Basically this sheep dog has the most wonderful home until he hears rumors about selling. He doesnt know what that is at first but he soon will find out. All he does is want to go home. He finds himself wondering cities and getting new names but still trying to find his old home. Do you think he will ever find a right home or the one he got sold from. Read the book to find out.
One connection i have is a text-to-world connection. I have this connection because you see a lot of dogs out in the streets or getting a lot of different homes. As my sister said when she went to visit France she saw that there were a lot of more homeless dogs then there were homeless people. But back in the U.S. we see a lot of more homeless people then homeless dogs. It's kind of sad. So this is a text-to-world connection because sheep who gets different homes and names and also lives on the street sometimes relates to the real world.
I'd give this book ***** stars. i gave it 5 stars because this book really relates to the world and it touches my heart. It's sad because he looses his home because his dad had to sell him and then he knew that he still didn't get to prove to his dad that he was a good sheep herder.It's sort of surprising too because you never know where he was gonna end up next and what name he was gonna be given. So you should read this book if you like dogs and surprises but also sad stories that won't make you cry.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a cleverly written, pleasant journey of a knocked-around border collie. The first-person voice actually sounds like one of this breed! I've read it aloud to two of my children's school classes. Every child was captivated and entertained, all the while relating to the poor dog's circumstances. I think it was a great way to bring themes of abandonment, disappointment, hope, shame, ridicule, love, and family, down to the level of young children - who certainly feel those emotions, even if they're not able to articulate them.

[Tiffany Chung · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jack just ran away from the circus fire. He ran and ran. Jack saved a boy's life. Luke the boy gave jack a piece of pizza and they went to Luke's house. Luke is an orphan. If I was jack I would be happy that I escaped from the cruel circus owner. I would also feel happy for Luke, because Jack saved Lukes life.

[Caitlin Vaille · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a super cute book, but I couldn't take it completely seriously since it is written from the perspective of a dog. That is the point of course. It's definitely more of a children's book, so it was quite easy to read. I liked it, but it didn't blow my socks off by any means

[10-11 Jonathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book sheep was a kind of sad and funny. I recomend this book to all that like funny and sad books.

[Jenna Weaver · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everything seemed great on the farm, the puppies were finally old enough to herd the sheep like their parents. When the farm burns down, Jack, the border collie protagonist and narrator is sold to a pet shop. He moves through a series of owners, finding himself in a little girl's backyard, the animal shelter, the streets, a circus where is brutally forced to perform tricks, and a boys orphanage. Jack is the final name for our narrator, after going through different given by his previous owners. The entire book shows the experience of a dog just looking for sheep to herd. The ending is very touching as Jack helps the young orphan boy find his new parents and finally finds some sheep to herd for himself. While the narration is from Jack's perspective, his character is far too human in thinking and reasoning. I do think the novel still gives readers a chance to see the experience of a pet store or the animal shelter through the eyes of the caged animals instead of our human eyes, which changes the way we see these places. A very redeeming quality of the book are the numerous unexpected insights about the human condition which come from Jack's contemplation about his situations and human behavior. I think this short chapter book would be good for newer readers and reluctant readers because few children dislike stories about animals and the plot is interesting from beginning to end.

[Matilda Bunch · Rating 5 out of 5]

A heartwarming story about a dog trying to find purpose in his life. Jack, a sheep dog, narrates his story. After a terrible fire on his ranch, Jack is sold to a pet shop. He catches the eye of a young girl and her family and they take him home. But they just want to keep him outside and Jack feels like he needs to do more with his life, so he escapes the yard. After wandering for a while, Jack stumbles across the Goat Man. The Goat Man is an older man who travels with a herd of goats. Jack stays with him for quite some time, but after some unfortunate events, Jack has to leave. He meets thieves along the way, but the story turns when Jack is forced to perform for Billy, who runs a circus. There, Jack, and other dogs are severely abused. After some time, Jack escapes. He then stumbles across an orphan boy and saves him from getting hit by a train. Jack learns to really care for this boy and wants him to try really hard to get adopted. The story ends happily, with both the boy and the Jack getting adopted. The family happens to live on a sheep ranch and Jack is happy that he has a loving family and a purpose. For readers who love dog stories, this is a tear jerker, but very heartwarming.

[Jamie]

My elementary school-aged son asked me to read this first before he does to see if the dog gets badly hurt or dies, as we have noticed so many dog stories have those aspects. Also there are a lot of dog movies/books that they loose their families and go wandering to find them/a new family. Sheep is definitely in that same genre.

This book is celebrated, and I agree it tells a wonderful story of a dog going through some real hardships to find happiness. There is indeed physical abuse, sad but real life lessons about dog and human's lives, and while it does all work out at the end, this book doesn't sugar coat the hardships. That is a strong quality of this piece, I applaud the author for going there. It reminded me a lot of The Call of the Wild, and late in the book they blatantly reference it, so I am confident that was the author calling it out for those of us who see the similarities.

Knowing my son, he isn't ready for this book quite yet. I have read reviews that mention this book was read aloud to classes, and perhaps int hat sort of setting where the realities can be digested and talked about in a safer group setting it could be a strong selection. Reading this book aloud with your child will allow for the same.

[Baley Westberg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sheep tells the tale of a sheep herding border collie named Jack. The story is narrated by Jack as he tells his story. Jack is forced to flee his ranch when a lightning strike causes a fire. After leaving the ranch, Jack bounces between shelters, foster parents, and even the circus while dealing with all kinds of confusion and abuse. All Jack can hope for throughout his journey is that one day he may be able to go back to his favorite pastime of herding sheep. I would recommend this book for upper elementary or lower middle school ages because it deals with some pretty dark topics and also uses some pretty offensive names. This book could be used well to approach ideas such as abandonment, abuse, and also perseverance and hope. Although it was fun to read the story through the dog’s perspective, it made some of the situations a little more emotional and frustrating which may be difficult for some students.

[Aubrey Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sheep is a heartwarming story about a dog who travels from owner to owner in an attempt to find his forever home. The dog, Jack, lives on a farm with his family and owners before they are forced to get rid of him and the other puppies, and Jack is left on his own when he is separated from the rest of the dogs. Jack has to deal with some difficult, and even abusive owners, as well as some nice ones. Jack goes through many owners before finding the boy he was meant to be with. Told from the dog’s perspective, this book will make you see your pets in a different way. Sheep is a short read, so it is suitable for younger elementary students, but some of the topics covered may be a little bit difficult for younger children to fully comprehend, so this book is also suitable for older elementary students, or even adults.

[Tyler Waller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sheep is a heartwarming story of a stray who is questioning his identity and chasing a dream of his old home before it was closed down. He begins his search once the farm he was raised on is shut down after there is a fire and they must give away all their herding dogs away. Through this book, readers can get an insight into what it would be like to be a stray dog on the streets searching for a home and someone to trust. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and the messages that it offers young students. I believe that Valerie Hobbs did a really great job capturing this story and drawing readers in as you begin to fall in love with this brave dog. I think it is really cool that this book written from the perspective of the dog because that way you can really see how the dog is thinking and the things he does in order to survive.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been curious about this book, because the kids love a good animal perspective story but also because the dog on the cover looks just like my dog! Ha.
It is much heavier than I expected; born on a sheep ranch that is destroyed by fire, the dog goes through a series of shelters, owners, homes, etc., always thinking about how he can find sheep and do his job again. Most of his experiences are kind of harsh. I don't like the use of "Retardo" - the dog hears one boy call another boy this, and the dog thinks it is the boy's name. So the dog refers to the boy by that name, learning a few pages later than it is an insulting word, not his name.
It's good, but I thought it would be more lighthearted based on the cover art. I am glad I read it, so I can better know which students might be interested in it.

[Natalie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another BOB book off the list. Since it was on the BOB list I just grabbed it and started reading. I was wildly disappointed to find that the narrator was a dob.

I'm just not a fan of books from an animal's perspective. I couldn't get into this at all and just wanted it to end.

Jack tells about being taken from his home on a sheep ranch to a pet store. He's bought by a girl that he doesn't like and runs away. Next he meets the Goat Man who teaches him philosophies. Jack works in a circus and meets a boy named Luke.

The writing is well done, I just didn't like the story. I didn't care about it. I bumped it up to two stars because I thought the ending was sweet.

The kids also seem to be wild about this book, so that's good news.

3/4 BOB

[Cala · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sheep is surprisingly full of depth for a children's chapter book. It is told from the dog's point of view as he journeys through a rough life, being called by different names and having different jobs along the way. It's a wholesome and age-appropriate book for elementary readers, even early readers. It does touch on death and animal abuse, but in a tactful way for young minds to handle. I won't spoil it, but the happy ending makes it even more appealing to the young reader. Honestly, I, as an adult, enjoyed reading it, too. The fictional story draws you in. It's full of life, heartache, longing, struggle, survival, making the best of a situation, not giving up, adoption, and is somehow not depressing at all through all of that.

[Eva Vincent · Rating 3 out of 5]

After finishing Sheep I liked the story, but in the midst of it I did not as much. I liked the start of the book when the the then nameless dog was with the goat man, but as the dog moved around from owner to owner and place to place it became hard to understand what time period this story was taking place in, so a more in depth description of the setting would be a good thing to include. The circus scenes were all really intense and realistic, which as a reader I appreciated the honesty of the situation but I would have liked a better presentation of that because it felt a little made up at times and unthinkable, when it is a true reality. I found this story to get boring at times and it even felt a little dull sometimes. However, I loved how the story was told from the point of view of a dog and the whole story he knew that there was more waiting for him, and he ended up being right. I love the way the story ends and it has made me want to read Wolf.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an excellent, heartwarming book of a dog who overcame many obstacles in his life to eventually find his "person". His experiences--the pain and struggle of unkind owners, as well as the hope, joy, and love found with other owners (as well as the pains of loss when they were removed from his life due to life circumstances)--is reminiscent of Black Beauty in the sense that the animal protagonist is personified. Not only was he easy to relate to, but it also creates a more empathetic feeling between the reader and animals.

[Tiffany · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this was a cute story it took a lot for me to get my nephew interested in reading it. I don't know if there wasn't enough action or if because it was told from a dogs perspective he just didn't really care about it. It was a fine read and I am glad we finished it, but I am not in a hurry to read more at this time.

[Deborah Dempsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this short book told from the dog’s point of view as he searches for his purpose in life. He has to overcome many challenges that might be upsetting to some sensitive readers, but overall it is an uplifting story that has a nice ending. I’m guessing it is written for upper elementary school kids. My son read it in 6th grade and enjoyed it.