Baabwaa and Wooliam

Reviewed by: connie Smith - Breakwater School, Portland, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: November 4, 2017

Review

A truly wonderful, hilarious tale combined with the expressive, detailed, and eye-catching illustrations of Melissa Sweet. This tongue in cheek tale of two bored sheep, Wooliam and Baabwaa, (whose favorite past times are knitting and reading) decide that they are ready for an adventure. Suddenly a sheep, in wolf's clothing, whom, by the way, Wooliam has read about in his books, approaches Baabwaa and Wooliam and declares that "he" will be their adventure. But the wolf becomes curious about the fact that Wooliam has read something about "him" in a book and wants to know more. The wolf becomes humiliated when Wooliam suggests that the wolf doesn't know "how" to read. Baabwaa tells the wolf that that Wooliam would be happy to teach him to read and that she can knit him a new coat to replace the "disgraceful" one that he is wearing. In between lessons, the sheep chases the two sheep around the field because "he is just following his nature," says Baabwaa." Baabwaa decides its good for them as they've spent too much time reading and knitting anyway. In the end the wolf (in his newly knit bright red sweater) suggests that the two "chattercheeks' be still as he is reading.

This is a fun story. Children will enjoy the dry wit and humor. It would be a wonderful book to read when children are studying fairy tales and reading new modern day twists on them.

Overall Book Score: excellent