My children and I are avid readers. The three of us love finding new books to read together. My kiddos especially love books that feature animals. My son really loves farm animals at the moment. When recently offered the chance to review Simpson’s Sheep Just Want to Sleep! written and illustrated by Bruce Arant from Peter Pauper Press in exchange for my honest opinion, I eagerly accepted the opportunity to add a new title to my home library.
Author/Illustrator
Currently residing in Omaha, Nebraska, author and illustrator Bruce Arant brings back his sheep from his previous work Simpson’s Sheep Won’t Go to Sleep in his newest book. Prior to becoming a full-time writer and illustrator, he enjoyed a career of nearly twenty years in the magazine and custom publishing industry in which he held a variety of editorial and creative positions.
Synopsis
Recommended for readers between the ages of 2 and 5 in preschool through kindergarten, Simpson’s Sheep Just Want to Sleep! tells the hilarious tale of Farmer Simpson as he makes all sorts of noise in an effort to wake up his sleepy flock of sheep. The farmer is in for a surprise when his sheep finally wake up — but not in the way that he expected. The book offers a tender tale about the virtues of using a gentle nudge when friends refuse to budge. The full-color 32-page hardback book with dust jacket currently costs $16.99 on Amazon.
Evaluation
“Farmer Simpson sleeps all night in comfy blankets, cuddled tight. He lies in bed and softly snores, while dreaming dreams of doing chores,” begins Simpson’s Sheep Just Want to Sleep! The book then chronicles the misadventures of the farmer as he attempts to wake his sleepy sheep through a rhymed text and colorful illustrations. As soon as the book arrived, my toddler son saw the sheep and insisted that I read the story aloud. When we got to the end, he excitedly begged me, “Again. Again!” He loves hearing me read the rhymed book out loud to him. His favorite part is the end when Farmer Simpson brings the puppy back to his farm. My first grader also enjoys reading the fun story to herself and her little brother.
In addition to the rhymed text, I also really like the illustrations, and so do my kiddos. My son fell in love with the sheet when he saw the picture of the sheep sleeping in the field on the front endsheet. He finds the sheep sleeping under blankets absolutely hilarious. He also loves pointing out familiar images throughout the book such as the lone star in the morning sky and the puppy. His second favorite page is the last page on which a sheep and the puppy are nose to nose. I like that the pictures really bring the heartwarming story to life. My daughter also enjoys looking at the illustrations as she reads the book.
Final Verdict
If you are looking for a book that extols the virtues of a gentle nudge, I highly recommend checking out Simpson’s Sheep Just Want to Sleep! written and illustrated by Bruce Arant from Peter Pauper Press. The heartwarming story tells of the misadventures of and lesson learned by Farmer Simpson as he attempts to wake his sleepy sheep. The story is told through rhymed text, which makes reading the book a little more fun. The adorable and colorful illustrations really bring the story to life. My kiddos and I give Simpson’s Sheep Just Want to Sleep! an enthusiastic thumbs up!
Purchase Simpson’s Sheep Just Want to Sleep! on Amazon via my affiliate link.
Image Credits
‘Simpson’s Sheep Just Want to Sleep!’ Book Review © 2017 Heather Johnson
Cover of ‘Simpson’s Sheep Just Want to Sleep!’ © 2017 Heather Johnson
Inside Pages of ‘Simpson’s Sheep Just Want to Sleep!’ 1 © 2017 Heather Johnson
Inside Pages of ‘Simpson’s Sheep Just Want to Sleep!’ 2 © 2017 Heather Johnson
Inside Pages of ‘Simpson’s Sheep Just Want to Sleep!’ 3 © 2017 Heather Johnson
