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Sammy and His Shepherd
In Sammy and His Shepherd , veteran children’s writer Susan Hunt takes youngsters on a delightful trip through Psalm 23 from the point of view of a sheep named Sammy. Sammy lives happily under the care of his faithful shepherd. But one day he meets a sheep from another flock, one who lives in misery because her shepherd is not so caring. Eventually, to the delight of both of them, Sammy’s shepherd buys the needy little sheep for his flock and gives her a name―Precious. Thereafter, Sammy tells Precious all the wonderful things about their shepherd. At first, Precious has a hard time believing that the shepherd can be so good. But eventually, as she sees the shepherd pouring out his energies for the good of his flock, she comes to trust him, for she sees that he loves his sheep unconditionally and sacrificially. Each chapter of Sammy and His Shepherd is an exploration of a passage from Psalm 23. As they work through the book, children will grow in their understanding of the metaphors the psalmist used in composing this beloved poem. But more important, they will gain a deeper appreciation for the one who is the subject of the the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ. Captivating illustrations by Corey Godbey help Sammy and Precious come to life for children. A special section in the back of the book provides Bible passages, discussion questions, and activities to reinforce the lessons of each chapter.
56 pages, Hardcover
First published December 2, 2008
16 people are currently reading
101 people want to read
About the author
Susan Hunt
42 books69 followersSusan Hunt is a mother and grandmother, a pastor’s wife, and the former Director of Women’s Ministries for the Presbyterian Church in America. Holding a degree in Christian education from Columbia Theological Seminary, she has written a number of books, including several by Crossway.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
April 17, 2024
I don’t usually mark kids books as read on here, but this one needs to be read by everyone. This was a Christmas gift for our new baby and it has been the biggest gift for me. I cannot commend this enough. Even if you don’t have kids in your life, read this book. It’s so, so good.
January 6, 2022
A lovely book for kids and a great one to read during the 12 days of Christmas! The children loved the story and were attentive to the questions. The parabolic nature of the story makes it really easy to know the characters. I also love the author's full admission to God choosing someone just because He delights in them, not because of anything they have done. It never gets old to read.
December 28, 2021
I love this book! It taught me so many real facts about sheep and helped me to see with fresh eyes the wonders of Psalm 23 :)
May 25, 2012
Reading The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis as a child created a special place in my heart for the genre of allegorical fiction. There's something magical about reading a story that is beautiful and wholly complete and engaging in its own right, but that also speaks secretly of other-worldly truths.
In reading Sammy & His Shepherd, I kept longing for it to be just as magical & captivating as Narnia. Written as an allegory of Psalm 23, Sammy & His Shepherd introduces children to a fictional talking sheep named Sammy, his underprivileged protege Precious, and their loving and all-powerful shepherd. As the story unfolds, we see chapter by chapter how the shepherd leads his sheep through green pastures, leads them beside still waters, restores their souls, etc.
What is it that made me long for more from Sammy's allegory? I wanted the plot to be richer & the allegorical symbolism to be less obvious. Author Susan Hunt resolves the main plot tension by chapter 5, so the remaining 6 chapters feel too long and anti-climactic to provide a satisfying denouement.
As an example of how the plot could have been improved, I feel Hunt could have developed the chapters on "the valley of the shadow of death" and "in the presence of my enemies" to include scenes of actual peril or visible enemy threat. Instead, these chapters simply revolve around monologues by Sammy talking about how his shepherd protects him in perilous & threatening situations. Show don't tell please.
At this point, I must offer myself a gentle reminder that this book is probably intended mostly as an educational tool for a pre-school and elementary school audience. Created for use in a family or classroom devotional time, with discussion questions provided to fully unpack all the allegorical references, this book shines most brightly as a teaching resource.
I received Sammy & His Shepherd free from the publisher as compensation for my review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
--Jen
In reading Sammy & His Shepherd, I kept longing for it to be just as magical & captivating as Narnia. Written as an allegory of Psalm 23, Sammy & His Shepherd introduces children to a fictional talking sheep named Sammy, his underprivileged protege Precious, and their loving and all-powerful shepherd. As the story unfolds, we see chapter by chapter how the shepherd leads his sheep through green pastures, leads them beside still waters, restores their souls, etc.
What is it that made me long for more from Sammy's allegory? I wanted the plot to be richer & the allegorical symbolism to be less obvious. Author Susan Hunt resolves the main plot tension by chapter 5, so the remaining 6 chapters feel too long and anti-climactic to provide a satisfying denouement.
As an example of how the plot could have been improved, I feel Hunt could have developed the chapters on "the valley of the shadow of death" and "in the presence of my enemies" to include scenes of actual peril or visible enemy threat. Instead, these chapters simply revolve around monologues by Sammy talking about how his shepherd protects him in perilous & threatening situations. Show don't tell please.
At this point, I must offer myself a gentle reminder that this book is probably intended mostly as an educational tool for a pre-school and elementary school audience. Created for use in a family or classroom devotional time, with discussion questions provided to fully unpack all the allegorical references, this book shines most brightly as a teaching resource.
I received Sammy & His Shepherd free from the publisher as compensation for my review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
--Jen
December 31, 2016
Two things I love about this book for children are how it encourages genuine care for others and how it cultivates a wholehearted trust in Jesus.
Sammy belongs to a good shepherd, but his friend, across the fence, is from another flock. Sammy's friend has no idea what it feels like to lie down and rest. Ultimately, her shepherd does not care about her. Without good food, always scared for her life, dirty, exhausted from pesky nose flies, and bullied by the bigger sheep, Sammy's friend knows not love. She is miserable and unattractive at the moment, but Sammy does not act high.
"Can we be friends?" Sammy asked. He noticed that the little sheep's eyes brightened, so he continued, "Since you don't have a name, I'm going to call you 'My Friend.'"
Once friends, the poor sheep cannot resist hearing more about Sammy's shepherd. At one point, she finally makes a run for her life to the other side, yet gets stuck under the fence. After a bit of a commotion, the good shepherd rescues the desperate sheep, pays a fortune for her to a previous owner, and gives her a new name - "Precious", because she is precious to him.
The good shepherd will keep astounding Precious with his love for her when he leads his flock through the valley of the shadow of death, when he guides her with his staff along a cliff on the way to the tableland - a special place with leveled ground he prepared beforehand for his flock to enjoy. Precious is a fussy sheep, but the more she learns her shepherd, the more she trusts him.
"Why do I always make everything so hard?" she finally asked. "It takes time to learn to trust our shepherd," Sammy said with a smile. "The more you know him, the more you'll trust him. You'll even trust him when you don't understand what he's doing or why he's doing it."
Every chapter in the story is built on a line from Psalm 23, and Susan Hunt makes every verse come alive. Love it!
Sammy belongs to a good shepherd, but his friend, across the fence, is from another flock. Sammy's friend has no idea what it feels like to lie down and rest. Ultimately, her shepherd does not care about her. Without good food, always scared for her life, dirty, exhausted from pesky nose flies, and bullied by the bigger sheep, Sammy's friend knows not love. She is miserable and unattractive at the moment, but Sammy does not act high.
"Can we be friends?" Sammy asked. He noticed that the little sheep's eyes brightened, so he continued, "Since you don't have a name, I'm going to call you 'My Friend.'"
Once friends, the poor sheep cannot resist hearing more about Sammy's shepherd. At one point, she finally makes a run for her life to the other side, yet gets stuck under the fence. After a bit of a commotion, the good shepherd rescues the desperate sheep, pays a fortune for her to a previous owner, and gives her a new name - "Precious", because she is precious to him.
The good shepherd will keep astounding Precious with his love for her when he leads his flock through the valley of the shadow of death, when he guides her with his staff along a cliff on the way to the tableland - a special place with leveled ground he prepared beforehand for his flock to enjoy. Precious is a fussy sheep, but the more she learns her shepherd, the more she trusts him.
"Why do I always make everything so hard?" she finally asked. "It takes time to learn to trust our shepherd," Sammy said with a smile. "The more you know him, the more you'll trust him. You'll even trust him when you don't understand what he's doing or why he's doing it."
Every chapter in the story is built on a line from Psalm 23, and Susan Hunt makes every verse come alive. Love it!
October 4, 2025
Sammy and His Shepherd: Seeing Jesus in Psalm 23 is a beautifully illustrated devotional for children. My 4-year-old asks for it every night at bedtime! Susan Hunt does a wonderful job of using sanctified imagination to bring Psalm 23, and the Gospel, close to little hearts. It is both theologically rich and tenderly points children to Jesus, our Good Shepherd.
The engaging illustrations and creative storyline that follow Sammy the sheep keep my child captivated. Along the way, we’ve even learned some fascinating things about real sheep! Each chapter includes questions for discussion, further Scripture readings, and clear explanations that deepen understanding.
One of my favorite passages explains it this way:
“We don’t roll over on our backs and become helpless like sheep sometimes do, but our souls can become cast down. When that happens, we need our Shepherd to restore us. Sometimes we want everything to be soft and easy, but our Good Shepherd knows we need hard times to make us stronger and to help us trust Him. Sometimes our lives become tangled with sin. When we are angry, disobedient, disrespectful, or selfish, our souls become cast down. But if we ask our Good Shepherd to forgive us, He cleanses us from sin and restores us.”
This little book has become a sweet treasure in our home, pointing both children and parents back to Christ.
The engaging illustrations and creative storyline that follow Sammy the sheep keep my child captivated. Along the way, we’ve even learned some fascinating things about real sheep! Each chapter includes questions for discussion, further Scripture readings, and clear explanations that deepen understanding.
One of my favorite passages explains it this way:
“We don’t roll over on our backs and become helpless like sheep sometimes do, but our souls can become cast down. When that happens, we need our Shepherd to restore us. Sometimes we want everything to be soft and easy, but our Good Shepherd knows we need hard times to make us stronger and to help us trust Him. Sometimes our lives become tangled with sin. When we are angry, disobedient, disrespectful, or selfish, our souls become cast down. But if we ask our Good Shepherd to forgive us, He cleanses us from sin and restores us.”
This little book has become a sweet treasure in our home, pointing both children and parents back to Christ.
January 7, 2022
Wonderfully written story of a sheep named Sammy who belongs to a good shepherd who takes exquisite care of him. Sammy meets another sheep from across the fence who is not taken care of by her shepherd. Eventually, Sammy’s good shepherd sees the poor sheep in great need, rescues her, and then buys her to belong to his flock. The good shepherd renames this sheep Precious and takes exquisite care of her, just like he does for all of his sheep. There are 11 chapters in this book and each one relates to a phrase from Psalm 23, going from beginning to end. Not only do children gain a deep understanding of what phrases from Psalm 23 mean, but this daddy learned a ton. The parallels between what takes place in the story and Christ as our Good Shepherd are obvious. Indeed, my heart was moved to worship on numerous occasions while reading this book and reflecting on how wonderful Christ is as our Shepherd. The last few pages include discussion questions for each chapter. Ages 8-12 (but definitely younger too).
October 19, 2022
Psalm 23 is a great introduction to who God is in relation to His people, especially through Jesus Christ the Good Shepherd. This book has been a favorite in my family for its beautiful pictures and devotional format for kids.
The book follows the story of Sammy the sheep and the various struggles and joys he encounters under the care of his shepherd, a metaphor of the life of a Christian. One day he meets a sheep from another flock, and children are able to connect the wonderful way that God draws us to Himself through His goodness and protection as "Precious" is redeemed and joined to the flock.
🌄 Great family Bible time resource for younger children.
The book follows the story of Sammy the sheep and the various struggles and joys he encounters under the care of his shepherd, a metaphor of the life of a Christian. One day he meets a sheep from another flock, and children are able to connect the wonderful way that God draws us to Himself through His goodness and protection as "Precious" is redeemed and joined to the flock.
🌄 Great family Bible time resource for younger children.
February 19, 2019
The story of Sammy and his shepherd, based on Psalm 23. Was expecting a bit more from this book, to be honest. The chapter about the bad shepherd gave my 3-year old son nightmares and he came running to us in the middle of the night, scared and crying, so I had to stop reading the book with him in the evenings. Otherwise a nice storyline with biblical truths and nicely illustrated.
May 9, 2019
Wonderful book for children and adults that puts the spotlight of the Gospel on Psalm 23. Extremely encouraging, challenging and convicting, this book will make your heart sing again to the song of the gospel.
September 8, 2019
A comfort to me and my children, it is a wonderfully written book with beautiful pictures. I would love another book from them! Great to give as a gift. I especially appreciate how each chapter has a page that explains what the point of the story was and help the reader.
February 4, 2025
An absolutely delightful book! Each of the 11 chapters are titled as a line from Psalm 23. Sammy teaches a new sheep friend all the ways their shepherd cares for them. Discussion questions talk about how Jesus is our Good Shepherd. My children loved it and we had great conversations!
January 17, 2019
This book was an encouragement both to me and my children. It had a big impact on my view of God as my shepherd. Highly recommend. Plan on reading it every few years.
October 5, 2019
Good book with helpful truths throughout.
"There are no *annoying* sheep...only *annoyed* sheep."
The more we know our Shepherd, the more we trust and love our Shepherd.
"There are no *annoying* sheep...only *annoyed* sheep."
The more we know our Shepherd, the more we trust and love our Shepherd.
April 20, 2023
There are no annoying sheep. Only annoyed sheep.
We read this book a few years ago but this line is quoted often.
We read this book a few years ago but this line is quoted often.
March 1, 2024
Cute book that was helpful to getting the kids to memorize Psalm 23. Had a couple questions to talk about after each verse.
May 12, 2024
Excellent resource for family worship and for kids (and adults, consequently)) to memorize Psalm 23 and to view it through a shepherd’s lens.
October 21, 2024
This is a wonderful analysis on how Jesus epitomizes a Christian's shepherd in simple language. Beautiful.
September 3, 2025
A warming, innocent, childlike book that deserves all the stars. Written beautifully to convey Christ rescuing us and walking with us in our journey of life.
April 7, 2020
This wonderful children's story gives an amazing picture of our Good Shepherd and beautiful, understandable pictures of the images in Psalm 23. Through Sammy, a sheep who belongs to the Good Shepherd, we hear all about the One who loves and cares for us. Through Precious, a sheep who is new to the fold, we are reminded that the Good Shepherd loves us even when we doubt and that His love is not based on us or our actions; He loves us simply because we belong to Him and that's who He is.
A great study of Psalm 23 with discussion questions included.
A great study of Psalm 23 with discussion questions included.
August 16, 2010
Susan Hunt, best known for her Christian ministry to women, has written a wonderful narrative exploration of Psalm 23. In this story, Sammy the sheep befriends a lonely, neglected sheep in the next pasture. Through their successive conversations, it becomes clear that Sammy's shepherd is skilled in taking care of sheep in a number of crucial ways. When the lonely sheep decides to join Sammy in his pasture, the good shepherd buys her from her surly keeper; then My Friend (renamed "Precious" by the shepherd) has to learn to be part of his flock.
Each chapter begins with a line from the 23rd Psalm and develops the idea in it by explaining quite a bit of background information about Middle Eastern shepherding practices. This provides even the youngest listeners with practical and detailed insight into the Psalmist's intent when he penned Psalm 23, poetically comparing the Lord to a shepherd. This narrative approach to interpreting scripture is especially effective in helping children internalize the important themes of faith, trust and dependence on God.
Unlike most children's devotionals available, this one is a pretty good story all on its own, with better than average illustrations. There are also discussion questions provided in an appendix to help adults review and interpret the story with their listeners.
Each chapter begins with a line from the 23rd Psalm and develops the idea in it by explaining quite a bit of background information about Middle Eastern shepherding practices. This provides even the youngest listeners with practical and detailed insight into the Psalmist's intent when he penned Psalm 23, poetically comparing the Lord to a shepherd. This narrative approach to interpreting scripture is especially effective in helping children internalize the important themes of faith, trust and dependence on God.
Unlike most children's devotionals available, this one is a pretty good story all on its own, with better than average illustrations. There are also discussion questions provided in an appendix to help adults review and interpret the story with their listeners.
October 1, 2011
Sammy and His Shepherd
Seeing Jesus in Psalm 23
Susan Hunt
Illustrated by Cory Godbey
Reformation Trust Publishing
Incredible illustrated story of Psalm 23! Each chapter takes a verse of Psalm 23 and weaves a children’s story out of it, bringing the Psalm to life for youngsters.
Sammy the sheep is very happy and well provided for by his shepherd who loves him and cares for him. Sammy meets a scraggly sheep on the other side of the fence that he names ‘My Friend’. She is missing the four key elements to having rest, when Sammy can easily sleep in the green pastures. She is missing safety, cohesiveness amongst all of the sheep, peace and food.
Later ‘My Friend’ is laying on her back ‘cast down’ and Sammy’s shepherd goes to her and rights her. The shepherd sees how down the little sheep is and goes to her shepherd and buys her from him. He renames her Precious as she is to him.
Now with Precious in the herd, Sammy can begin to teach her how to rely on the shepherd.
After each chapter there is a talk about it section to turn to in the back of the book. Some time to reflect on the verse and read other scripture to go along with it.
There are 11 chapters and just the perfect size for devotional time, or bedtime Bible reading.
Fantastic illustration of Psalm 23 in vivid detail. On a level children can understand and relate to their own lives.
Seeing Jesus in Psalm 23
Susan Hunt
Illustrated by Cory Godbey
Reformation Trust Publishing
Incredible illustrated story of Psalm 23! Each chapter takes a verse of Psalm 23 and weaves a children’s story out of it, bringing the Psalm to life for youngsters.
Sammy the sheep is very happy and well provided for by his shepherd who loves him and cares for him. Sammy meets a scraggly sheep on the other side of the fence that he names ‘My Friend’. She is missing the four key elements to having rest, when Sammy can easily sleep in the green pastures. She is missing safety, cohesiveness amongst all of the sheep, peace and food.
Later ‘My Friend’ is laying on her back ‘cast down’ and Sammy’s shepherd goes to her and rights her. The shepherd sees how down the little sheep is and goes to her shepherd and buys her from him. He renames her Precious as she is to him.
Now with Precious in the herd, Sammy can begin to teach her how to rely on the shepherd.
After each chapter there is a talk about it section to turn to in the back of the book. Some time to reflect on the verse and read other scripture to go along with it.
There are 11 chapters and just the perfect size for devotional time, or bedtime Bible reading.
Fantastic illustration of Psalm 23 in vivid detail. On a level children can understand and relate to their own lives.
December 27, 2014
I simply must rave about this book! What a delightful, biblical, beautifully done allegory for young children. A must have for every Christian parent's bookshelf. The gospel is clearly presented in simple and clear language woven into the story of a little lamb teaching another lamb about his good Shepherd. The artwork is very touching as well. There are even discussion questions in the second half of the book to correspond with each chapter, chock full of good biblical theology, lot's of scripture references, and application to a child's life. I am very grateful to the friend who gave me this book at my son's baby shower.
March 27, 2024
Such a great way to go though psalm 23 and really understand everything about it. The pictures are gorgeous. I recommend this book for anyone teaching this psalm to their children or anyone who is a new to the idea of reading the psalms.
October 7, 2011
My review here: http://lunchboxsw.wordpress.com/2011/...
September 10, 2015
"It was good because it was about God, talking through Psalm 23" says my 5 yr old reader (LJ)
April 7, 2017
Wonderful book. It's great for both children and adults.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews