Brave Charlotte

The creators of "Santa's Littlest Helper" offer a snippet of a tale about an intrepid little lamb who "had been different right from the start." While all the other lambs "just stood shyly by their mothers," feisty Charlotte snoozes on a high tree branch, climbs to the top of a precipitous peak and roams the countryside at night. When the elderly shepherd falls and breaks his leg, the sheep decide that Jack, the aging sheepdog, isn't up to the job of going for help. Youngsters won't be surprised when Charlotte volunteers for the task, despite the protests of her peers ("The little rascal?"; "Out of the question!"), and succeeds with flying colors. Wilson's deadpan humor comes through in acrylics that brim with diverting images of Charlotte's spontaneous bravura (which takes her to some humorously precarious perches) as well as droll depictions of her fellow sheep's incredulous gazes. Ages 4-8. "(Oct.)" Copyright 2005 Publishers Weekly Used with permission.

K-Gr 2 -Charlotte the sheep is anything but sheepish. She likes to climb trees and swim in fast-running rivers. Even the dog can not keep up with her. The older sheep shake their heads in disapproval, but their opinions change when the shepherd breaks his leg and Charlotte is the only one brave enough to make the long journey to the farmer's house to get help. The language is simple and the text is short enough for reading aloud. The lighthearted acrylic spreads give the characters personality. Wilson does a good job of suggesting the softness of the sheep's wool and the steepness of the mountain crags, making the art almost seem tactile. The illustrations are the best part of this otherwise average picture book." -Donna Cardon, Provo City Library, UT" Copyright 2006 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.