Such a lovely book about being accepting of everyone’s differences and learning to be yourself. The little sheep are super cute.

Great message in this book. I like how it encourages the reader to be themselves even if you are the only one doing it. Also like how the book pivots from the rainbow to all different colors and patterns! Avoids making a political statement and focuses on sharing acceptance!

Pure Fun and Joy

The writing of this book probably took far more work than can by judged by the word count, for it was incredibly expressive. By leaving out the standard page by page text, the sheep themselves tell a story that could be about whatever the reader imagined.

It's not only a great tool for counselors or teachers, it's fun for parents and kids of all ages. The illustrations are so cute and clever! And everyone loves rainbows and playful, fluffy sheep (of all colors.)

Thank you to author David Hayward and NetGalley for the free advance readers' copy. I'm under no obligation to them, I was delighted by The Rainbow Sheep and think it will make a fine gift for all ages.

The Rainbow Sheep is a story about acceptance, happiness in one’s identity and interests, and honoring differences. Inclusivity is the main theme which subtly has themes to support our LGBTQ+ friends and family (there is no mention of LGBTQ+ ideas other than a rainbow colored sheep and one in trans colors, but many solid color characters too, even the elusive black sheep).

Ricky is a sheep that does just that, follows everyone around her. She eats when the flock eats, sleeps when the flock sleeps, looks identical to her flock (white wool). Humor added in by showing the sheep getting dressed in their onsie-inspired wool clothing everyday (complete with snap buttons).

The one day a new sheep, Rainbow, arrives in a rainbow wool covering. Immediately the flock hands over a white wool outfit telling Rainbow to change into it. Rainbow is true to himself and continues in his own clothing and enjoys different things: frolicking with butterflies, jumping in puddles, and just being him.

Ricky decides she would like to befriend Rainbow! And eventually, she shows her true colors and even more of the flock decide they want to try new things!

But a flock meeting is called! What will happen? Will they accept differences or keep pushing their sheep mentality and want all to stay the same?

The illustrations are simple, delightful, and colorful! A great read for kids to accept differences in others.

Thank you @NetGalley and @BroadleafBooks for the advanced digital copy

This book has a great message to encourage kids to be themselves, even if they stick out in a crowd. The illustrations are fun and engaging. The high contrast and bright colors would be great for the developing eyes of babies also.

This is very cute! I recognize those flag colours! Quite simple, but gets the message across.

The Advanced Review Copy (ARC) was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you for the ARC. Rainbow sheep joins the flock and everything changes. This is a wonderful story about acceptance and that being different is ok. We aren’t all the same and should be able to express ourselves and not “follow the flock”.

I love this! This is a book about embracing your true self and not succumbing to the pressures of conformity. It's also an empowering message about the impact a single person can make when they embrace their differences.

This was adorable! The illustrations were super cute and I loved loved loved the use of the Trans flag! This is a cute way to begin introducing diversity and inclusion to littles before they really understand what it means to be LGBTQIA+ . My 2.5yo thought this book was so fun and had me read it to her a few times in one sitting. She loved the rainbow sheep and kept going “look rainbow mama, rainbow sheep.”

I love this book!!! It's really simple in terms of writing, but that makes this a great book for a wider age range of kids. The plot and the way it developed and grew over the course of the story was absolutely perfect! The author accurately showed how a community can change for the better and the resulting benefits of it. However, Hayward did this in an age-appropriate way that is easy for little ones to understand and follow. Additionally, the main characters of Ricky and Rainbow had much personality without saying much. Their uniqueness and confidence is infectious, and many readers will feel inspired to be themselves, with authenticity and courage. As for the illustrations: they started out a bit more simple, and increasingly more color got added as the story progressed. This relates to my earlier point of this book's impressively seamless development. Lastly, I love how the illustrator weaved in various pride flags towards the end of the story!! This is so important for little ones to see in order for them to build understanding and empathy skills, and it also allows them to feel seen if they identify with the queer community. Bravo!!

I received an electronic ARC from Broadleaf Books through NetGalley.
Readers meet a flock of sheep who do absolutely everything together. One day a disrupter arrives and chooses to be themself. Others find the courage to change how they look and what they do so they no longer conform to the status quo. A gentle way to introduce being yourself to young and not so young readers. The message shines through the simple illustrations and text. The story can be applied to such a broad field that it will fit for different situations at all ages.

Ricky lived with a flock of sheep who always were the same: wearing the same 'clothes', eating/sleeping at the same time, and baaa-ing at the same time. Until one day, Rainbow comes along, a sheep who is different from all the rest. Rainbow inspires other sheep to express themselves and embrace their differences, whatever they may be.
I thought that this book was a good representation of being proud to be different and not following what others want to maintain expectations, especially for a younger audience. The illustrations were simple in a way that paired nicely with the text, and emphasized what mattered - the story's message. I also picked up on the different colors of the sheep's wool (rainbow and pink/blue/white), and the subtext the author was trying to have with LGBTQIA+ identities. While I would love to buy this book for my shelves to represent diverse opinions (and because more LGBTQIA+ books need to be represented), I do wonder what pushback may be received from conservative communities about the nature of the colors of the sheep (though it is obviously a biased and baseless problem).

It’s so important to teach and advocate for inclusivity, especially given what’s happening in the world right now especially USA. Everyone deserves the right to be themselves without fear or discrimination. Books like this play a crucial role in spreading awareness, fostering empathy, and inspiring change. Thank you for writing this and contributing to a more accepting and compassionate world.

As a mother of two, we absolutely loved The Rainbow Sheep by David Hayward! The story follows Rainbow, a sheep who doesn’t conform to the flock and prefers to do things their own way. My kids couldn’t stop laughing when they saw the hangers with all the sheep’s wool hanging up. As a parent, I appreciated how one of the sheep, Ricky, chose to befriend Rainbow, despite the rest of the flock wanting to cast Rainbow aside. It can be hard to stand out from the crowd, but we all feel different at times, and sometimes all it takes is one person to validate those feelings. The illustrations were perfect for the story, and my children and I had fun spotting the different colors each sheep chose. This book is a beautiful reminder to celebrate our differences and embrace what makes us unique. I would highly recommend it to any family with elementary-age kids!

Thank you to NetGalley and beaming books for this eARC!

It's hard to be the only one who's different, but it's easier when people are open minded enough to try their own style. Sometimes they just need a good example like the rainbow sheep to have the courage they need.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this

The Rainbow Sheep by David Hayward is for everyone! This story celebrates inclusion, self-acceptance and the joys of being different. You'll meet a flock of sheep as they work together to understand the newest member, Rainbow. Rainbow helps the group understand that everyone can be different and act different and still be friends in a community. This is a terrific book to open discussions for young scholars.. Thank you Broadleaf Books and NetGalley for the advance digital copy. I will be ordering this book to share with friends and will be adding a copy to my Little Free Library.