Sheepish

by Helen Yoon

Hungry Wolf disguises himself as a sheep and nobody suspects a thing! (Or do they?)

Wolf dreams of tasty sheep--sheep sandwiches, sheep sushi, sheep tacos! In his clever sheep costume, he infiltrates the friendly neighborhood herd, blending in by helping with chores, reading bedtime stories to the lambs, and working up a sweat in sheep aerobics class. Wolf's sneaky plan works so well, he becomes part of the family. And suddenly, the sheep don't seem quite as tasty. . . . With a charming twist ending and lots of visual fun--including the running theme of Wolf's disguise not being quite as convincing as he thinks--this hilarious take on the wolf-in-sheep's-clothing will have readers howling for more.

Genres: Picture Books, Animals, Humor, Childrens, Friendship, Storytime, Wolves

40 pages, Hardcover

First published January 12, 2021

About the author

Helen Yoon is a freelance illustrator and creative consultant operating in the greater Los Angeles area. Sheepish is her first picture book.

Reviews

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wolf has the perfect plan to infiltrate the flock of sheep and get a delicious meal: Dress like a Sheep.
The Wolf goes undercover, playing along with their games and activities and thinking that no one suspects a thing.
The sheep don't...or do they?

Full of very simplistic cartoonish and colorful illustrations, Helen Yoon provides a Grinch-like story of community, friendship and humor.

[Rod Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really appreciate a picture book that actually lets the pictures carry their part of the story. And this one has a cute and funny tale to tell about a wolf in sheep's clothing. Lots of giggles to be had.

[Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was the sheep showing up at his door in wolf outfits that pushed me to 5 stars. Creative, funny, original, and with a powerful but subtle message about relationships and essential nature. True connection is a powerful thing.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aww.... Candlewick Press does it again. They really do pick the most heartwarming and creative picture-books. Best ending ever. And I really love that it's a fable that doesn't spell out the moral, but still makes it clear.

Would this work in real life? Do you know an evil, power-hungry person who might benefit from having some true friends to have fun with?

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my, this was HILARIOUS. Such a fun, cute picture book. And I loved the quirky drawings with sharp edges! It fit the book perfectly.

What better way to get sheep for dinner than to disguise yourself as one and infiltrate the flock? That is exactly what one wolf decides to do. He will play with the sheep, eat with the sheep, read stories to the sheep, and THEN--when they are least expecting it--he will EAT the sheep! Bwahahahaha!

But things don't always go as we plan them.

To find out what happens, you'll need to read this adorable, funny, little book.

Five Stars!

[Kaitlyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was adorable! I loved it so much. It was heart-felt and hilarious and the illustrations were amazing.

[Chrisanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was darling. I especially loved the unique illustrations and the end.

[Taun · Rating 5 out of 5]

One wolf, one infiltration plan, one tiny act of kindness to foil it all.

When a clever wolf decides to hatch a scheme, he may not be as clever as he thinks. The sheep he has come to live amongst, hoping to lull them into a false sense of security, are on to him. Not only do they see through the flimsy disguise, they begin to think that this wolf may just be something special.

The story, the illustrations, the fact that I, my husband and our teenage children read this book three times in a row, fits of laughter & all. Ah yes, one for the shelves, for our children’s story time, and my own personal enjoyment.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's not often a book literally makes me laugh out loud...multiple times...while reading it! But this one did. A wolf dreams of all kinds of tasty sheep meals, everything from sheep Jello salad to sheep sandwiches to sheep ice-cream sundaes. (His sheep meal fantasies are hilarious throughout the book). But after infiltrating the sheep herd and enacting his plan of being friendly, helpful, and kind to gain their trust, he finds he no longer can eat them because they have become his friends and he loves them. A super funny story with a fantastic message! I loved it.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is Helen Yoon's first picture book and it will fill you with chuckles as you watch this "wolf under cover" try so hard to have a good "sheepie" meal. His imagination is unlimited in the dishes he looks forward to. There is a crowd of sheep in the dining hall and this sneaky wolf manages to enter. He tries all sorts of tactics with a "master plan" like being helpful (washing dishes for the group) and being a team player (shuffleboard). Unfortunately, it doesn't exactly work out for the goal, but better than the sneaky wolf ever could imagine. Yoon's cartoon illustrations are so detailed and fun, you must take time to look at them all. The expressions and those "bubble dreams" are terrific. A different kind of wolf and sheep story that just might make readers think twice about what or who is considered a meal, an enemy.
Thanks to Candlewick Press for this copy!

[Flossmoor Public Library (IL) · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars

This picture book was so unbelievably adorable!!! It is about a wolf who goes “under cover” into a sheep colony in order to get his next meal. He has a multi-step plan to win over the sheep and lead them into a false sense of security. Unfortunately for him, along the way, he grows a conscience and can’t follow through with his master plan. Fortunately for the sheep, they figured out he was a wolf on page 2, when his shadow had pointed ears and a relentlessly wagging tail.

~ Miss Emily

[April · Rating 5 out of 5]

So this is the second book that has to do with wolves and sheep that I have encountered this month- actually within the past two weeks.

I like the title and front cover illustration. The story is very cute, and the illustrations put it over the top for me. This is a book full of entertainment. Great little story for the littles.

[Natalie Tate · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wolf in sheep's clothing is confident that none of the little fluffers see through his ruse. Funny, sweet entertainment.

This is a great title for beginning readers and would make a popular read-aloud.

[Deb (Readerbuzz) Nance · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wolf takes on a disguise in an attempt to secure a juicy meal of Sheep, but he grows fond of his new Sheep friends and returns home, Sheep-less and determined to become a vegetarian.

[Scarlett Mirano · Rating 5 out of 5]

The sheep then came under cover to visit him at the end 🥹🥹🥹

[Kris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Similar to Brenda is Not a Sheep, but a bit more cute. Same sneaky behavior(I like the use of step by step) but the sheep in this one are not fooled like they are in Brenda. There is a subtle message with the lambs curious about the wolf in sheep's clothing, while the adults hide and hold them back from interacting. Finally a thank you kiss from the youngest after storytime sends the wolf running home saying, "Nope, nope, nope" to sit by the fire with Vegan cookbooks.

[Panda Incognito · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn't sure what to expect from this one, but it is so sweet, and the illustrations are adorable and heartwarming.

Update: I reread this in 2022 after thinking about it again, and it's just so lovely. I'm raising my rating to five stars for how memorable the book is, and for all of the perfect subtle details in the illustrations that hint where the story is going. This is so well-crafted.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Change of Menu!

PLEASE READ THIS REVIEW ON MY BLOG: http://bookreadingtic.com/2021/03/16/... THANK YOU!

The Big Bad Wolf dreams of having sheep for dinner. Join him as he decides the way to do that will be to disguise himself, and to go under cover with the sheep. Through text and pictures, we can track the wolf’s progress.

Convinced he has them all fooled, he thinks he is ready to make his move—only to discover he has had a change of heart.

Children will find the things the wolf does to fit in with the sheep funny. They will really like the ending when they find out how much the wolf was able to fool them!

This delightful picture book is over-sized and hard-backed. Cute illustrations that add more laughs to the story, appear on every page, and are done by the author. The tale can even become a lesson about what it means to be a “wolf-in-sheep’s-clothing.” This 5-star book will be enjoyed by smiling children up to age eight.

Candlewick Publishers has provided Tickmenot with a complimentary copy of, Sheepish (Wolf Under Cover), for the purpose of review.

[Sandy Brehl · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story will feel familiar- wolf in sheep’s clothing who is intent on feeding the hunger in his heart, and mouth. The REAL story, though, is in the illustrations. That wily wolf begins to steal my heart before the story even opens, with images of clothing patterns, sheepskin fabric laid out, scissors, stitching supplies, and my imagination running wild. The humor is subtle, which is what puts it over the top, in my book. Young readers and nuts will be exploring every inch of every page to discover the complexity of this comic community of sheep, along with the sneaky, dreaming wolf who is so set on his plans that he is convinced he has pulled the wool over their eyes.
Speaking of eyes. The eyes of each character, even the ones most distant in roles, could become a master class in detail and nuance.
This is a book that MUST be examined up close, but could also make an enticing read aloud, to be followed by a chorus of calls: “ can I read it now?”. Satisfying from cove to cover.
And, just as sneaky is the philosophical question: could this be a metaphor for our current social climate? Could even avowed enemies change their tunes and tone if they get to know each other?

[Lara · Rating 4 out of 5]

So cute!! Wolf is so very sneaky, isn't he? A fun interpretation of wolf-in-sheeps-clothing (and vice versa!) about fitting in and making friends. Would pull it out for storytimes on friends, wolves, sheep, or fractured fairy tales. Wolf's narration would be a fun storytime voice (like Hoot Owl, Master of Disguise or The Bear Ate Your Sandwich for silly narrators). While this isn't a fairytale itself, it certainly spins the usual fairy tale wolf on its head - might work well with The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs and similar.

[Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lot of the story takes place in the pictures, which is great for those beginning to read on their own. Short text snippets, some not even more than a few words.

Wolf decides the best way to make the sheep dishes he is dream of is to dress as a sheep and infiltrate their school. He believes he's fooling the sheep even as they hide from him. His master plan entails being helpful, handy, fun, friendly, a team player and part of the sheep community. Because once he's in, when they least expect it, he'll make them be dinner. The wolf is clueless but the reader knows that the sheep know it's Wolf and they are just having him wash the dishes and laundry, cut the wood, cook, participate in sports, and read them stories. That night in bed, Wolf realizes he can't do it and runs home to become a vegetarian and makes sheep decorations for his mantel. He hears a knock at the door, (the readers see ears) and opens it to find all the sheep in their wolf costumes. They knew it all along and miss him.

Loved it.

[Megan (ReadingRover) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about a wolf in sheep’s clothing planning to infiltrate then eat some sheep only his plans get all jumbled which ends up being best for everyone.
This is pretty much the same exact book as Brenda is a Sheep by Morag Hood. When people read that book they seemed to get their panties into quite a twist all because Brenda was pretending to befriend the sheep she was planning to eat even though in the end she genuinely likes them and changes her mind. Funny thing is that the exact same thing happens in this book and no one is upset about it at all. Is it because the sauces aren’t described as delectably or because the wolf’s teeth are less pointy? Why so much more love for this book than for Brenda and her sheep loving heart. Both books are equally as cute and show that everyone has the potential to change.
4 stars.

[Eve Costarelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

You think you know the story, but you don’t! Little children will hoot with laughter at the wolf hiding in plain sight in his silly sheep-skin costume, spotting his very noticeable face amongst all the fluffy wooly real sheep. In the wolf’s mind he would like to eat the sheep, but through interaction with the sheep, he learns about being a team member (even if the team looks totally different than you), how to be kind (and to be accepted for who you are) and how to be able to learn and grow from interactions with others (especially those who do not look like you!) This is a very sweet book with a delightful, heart-warming twist ending. I love how the simple text is enhanced by the illustrations, using images and expressions to fill in the story. Very sweet!

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lesson: it's easy to terrorize people you've never met, never talked to, never spent time with. It's much harder to be nasty or commit violence against people you've shared food with, done chores with, played sports with, told stories with, created a genuine connection with. The loss of a sense of community and the seeming increasing silo-ing of groups of people with no substantive interaction between those groups may well be the most dire threat we face as a species. And we could learn a lot from this conniving but ultimately empathetic wolf.

Fortunately, the illustrations and the story are so darn cute, the lesson very nearly fades right into the background. I loved the dynamic illustrative/onomatopoeic storytelling of the scootscootscoot and the nopenopenope.

[Joy Day · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sheepish is about a wolf who goes undercover to eat sheep. He tries to become just like them so no one suspects a thing. He plays games with them, tries to be helpful, and eat everything that they do to not break character. While he is helping read a book a sheep comes up to him and gives him a kiss on the sheep. He then leaves the sheep farm and goes back to his house because he cannot harm them. He has come to care for the sheep. Then one evening while he is reading a book, he gets a knock on the door and it is sheep that are dressed up like a wolf saying that they miss him. This has an important lesson in this book that sometimes we can be friends with what we believe can be unlikely people.

[Alissa Tsaparikos · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one really made me smile and gave me a chuckle. Readers follow a wolf in disguise as he plans to ingratiate himself with a flock of sheep in order to get close enough to them to make them dinner! But the plan works too well, and his sheep friends might be off the menu permanently. Yoon's unique mix of drawn and collage illustrations are just comical. Especially the ever wagging wolf tail! I also love how the illustrations tell a pretty different story to what the wolf is narrating at times, adding even more comedy to the story. This is definitely a feel good one that will have kids laughing.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wolf has a very clever idea-- if he disguises himself as a sheep, he can infiltrate their society and gain their trust before catching some dinner. Wolf isn't as clever as he thinks, though, and the sheep catch on pretty quickly... and as they befriend Wolf anyway, he finds himself less inclined to make a meal out of his new friends. The ending might surprise you! Sheepish is humorous, clever, and aww-out-loud worthy! If you enjoyed The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig, you'll be just as taken with Sheepish!

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm really wary of wolf-in-sheep's-clothing stories because it feels like our culture has a real anxiety about this metaphor. BUT this book has such cute illustrations, and such a cute way of telling the story that I just loved it anyway! I like how the sheep were not fooled, and it can open up a great discussion about how working alongside people can help you change your mind about them. Also loved that in addition to the vegetarian cookbooks, the wolf also had one about pork! Funny all around. Would recommend for home reading (there's a bit much going on for storytimes).

[E · Rating 5 out of 5]

So funny! The opening spread shows Wolf, scoot, scoot, scooting under cover of some sort of knitting disaster. Lol. I actually chuckled while reading as Wolf tried to carry out his perfect plan to have what looked like a sheep on a silver platter. But poor Wolf, his plan gets too complicated and he ends up abandoning the plan. All’s not lost though. While back at home researching a vegetarian diet there’s a knocking on his front door. And what do you know!!!

Really fun read. Highly recommend!

[Marta · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought the story was adorable. I only gave it four stars because I prefer less simple illustrations to Helen Yoon's almost-line drawings. The story, though, caught me by surprise at the end. I thought it was going to be about how to be a sheep (a follower), and it would end with a change in strategy. However, it turns out to be a sweet story about love and friendship (and maybe how to be a vegetarian).