by Moe Zilla

Created on: March 09, 2010   Last Updated: December 29, 2011

This is a very funny story - with some  fun drawings. Though Kevin Kiser is best known for writing "The Birthday Book" with his wife, four years later he'd collaborated with artist Rowan Barnes-Murphy to create "Sherman the Sheep." It's a clever book that follows the misadventures of a giant flock of sheep as they cheerfully follow Sherman - the sheep they've decided should be their leader. But Sherman only leads them into trouble - again and again.

When a sign reads "Happy Valley City Dump," Sherman announces it says "Free Food For Sheep" - though the sheep complain that the grass there tastes unpleasant. And when the flock arrives at a rainy "Railroad Crossing" sign, Sherman reads it as "Shelter for Sheep." He mistakes an open boxcar for a barn on wheels - but once they're inside, it suddenly starts to accelerate.  "This barn makes me dizzy," complains Sherman's cousin Wayne.

The sheep bluster through, though Sherman's mistakes keep piling up. And though the pattern repeats, the book strikes a very happy tone throughout. As the flock travels on, in their quest for a perfect field, they'll add new verses to their travelling chorus.

We're sheep! We're sheep!
We're wild and we're free,
We see what we like,
and we like what we see
'Cause we're sheep! We're sheep!"

There's a message to the book, but it's delivered in a light and happy way. Sherman seems to be misleading the sheep, and  their faith in him seems misplaced. So while every sheep is smiling, that just makes them seem naive and silly. But there's a second message when the book finally reaches its finale page.

Sherman announces they've reached the perfect field - which turns out to be the field that they've just left. His cousin compliments him on making such an intelligent choice, and Sherman just baas modestly, then "yawned and settled down beneath his favorite apple tree to finish his nap." On the one hand, the book seems to urge readers to be happy with what they've got. But it's also hard to forget its larger message: about a leader who doesn't really fix anything, and gets supported by a large, unquestioning mob!

Illustrator Rowan Barnes-Murphy provides the sheep with the perfect personalities for this story. They've all got faithful eyes and wide, silly smiles, adding a sense of fun to the fable.  Barnes-Murphy has taught illustration on cruise lines, according to the book's jacket, so he's definitely got the right spirit for drawing a story about a sheep that leads his flock on a journey to nowhere.

Learn more about this author, Moe Zilla.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.