Once a Shepherd

Reviewed by: Jan Hamilton - Little Dolphin School, Scarborough, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: May 8, 2015

Review

A wonderful and gentle portrayal of how war impacts families; Once a Shepherd tells a sad story with a ray of hope. The setting for such a story could have been in any country and at any time in history. The illustrations bring the emotional tale to life in a vivid manner and reveal the time period to be during the First World War. The rolling green fields and soft white sheep add to the beauty of Tom's homeland while the scorched brown fields express the horror of war.

Love is the theme contained in this picture book but parents and caregivers need to be aware of the battlefield illustrations. This is an excellent book for families to read together and for school guidance councilors.

Overall Book Score: very good