100 Sheep: A Counting Parable

by Amy-Jill Levine, Sandy Eisenberg Sasso, Margaux Meganck (Illustrator)

One sheep is missing! Where can it be?

This board-book version of the Parable of the Lost Sheep is adapted from the picture book Who Counts? 100 Sheep, 10 Coins, and 2 Sons, first in the popular series of parables retold by Amy-Jill Levine and Sandy Eisenberg Sasso. With accessible language and sturdy pages just right for little hands, 100 A Counting Parable builds early counting skills while showing that God's love finds us wherever we go.

16 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 31, 2021

About the author

Amy-Jill Levine is University Professor of New Testament and Jewish Studies and Mary Jane Werthan Professor of Jewish Studies at Vanderbilt Divinity School and Department of Jewish Studies. Her books include The Misunderstood Jew: The Church and the Scandal of the Jewish Jesus; Short Stories by Jesus: The Enigmatic Parables of a Controversial Rabbi; four children's books (with Sandy Sasso); The Gospel of Luke (with Ben Witherington III); and The Jewish Annotated New Testament (co-edited with Marc Z. Brettler). Her most recent books are The Bible With and Without Jesus: How Jews and Christians Read the Same Stories Differently (co-authored with Marc Z. Brettler), Sermon on the Mount: A Beginner's Guide to the Kingdom of Heaven; and The Kingdom of Heaven: 40 Devotionals. In 2019 she became the first Jew to teach New Testament at Rome's Pontifical Biblical Institute. Professor Levine, who has done over 300 programs for churches, clergy groups, and seminaries, has been awarded grants from the Mellon Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the American Council of Learned Societies. Institutions granting her honorary degrees include Christian Theological Seminary and the Episcopal Seminary of the Southwest.

Reviews

[Jeanie]

The parable of the lost sheep is a great board book for babies. In illustration form, it tells the story of God's great love for us. The story is a rancher that lost one sheep. He knew his sheep and counted them every day. A 100 sheep is a big number but the one is valued. That is God's love. We are valued.

A special thank you to Flyaway Books and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

[Charlotte]

I already own the book, "Who Counts? 100 Sheep, 10 Coins, and 2 Sons" by the authors and I love it. Making a board book version of this story is just right-- even the youngest toddlers can grasp what it means to be loved and how it feels when someone is delighted to see you! Levine and Sasso are a great team.

However, I think it's a mistake to try to market this as a book to teach counting skills. I don't mind the numbering and sets of ten within the illustrations, but the numbers are not the point.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for a free review copy.

[Megan]

Though I like the idea of a children's book of the 100 sheep parable, I felt like this book was a bit lacking. It claims to be "a counting parable" but has very little about counting-a single page. And it lacked something in the way of showing just how much the shepherd loves his sheep. It could have showed this in greater detail, by having h count them one by one, know them by name, feed them and shelter them, going after the one no matter the weather or terrain, etc. I feel it seemed to fall short on both goals of being "a counting parable" and teaching the love of the shepherd.

[Laura]

A simple story about a farmer who loses one of his sheep, and searches for it until he finds it, because it takes all of his 100 sheep for his flock to be complete. While a nice enough message of "no one left behind," there's not much more to it than that. Very small children might still enjoy it in the moment, but it's unlikely to become a favorite. Good for if you're looking for a quick and easy to digest story for a child.

[Kaitlyn]

I received this ebook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The illustrations in this book were really cute and had vibrant colors. I don't like how short it is, but it's a cute little book for kids. I really like the counting by 10s and the counting to 100 inside the back cover.

[Leslie]

100 Sheep is cute counting book based on the Parable of the Lost Sheep. I believe this book would be perfect for toddlers/preschoolers learning how to count. The pictures are lovely too. Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read this book. (This review is also on GoodReads.)

[Emilee (emileereadsbooks)]

Thanks to Netgalley and Flyaway Books for a free digital copy.

A retelling of the parable of the lost sheep interspersed with counting skills. A great learning books for littles in theology and in math.

[Ryan]

What? It feels like this book stops half way in the middle. A man counts sheep every day. One day there aren't 100, and he goes to find the missing sheep. He throws a party, then counts to 100 again. It almost feels like a waste of paper, but I guess someone will like it.