Sheep Number 19

When Mrs. Ofelia can't fall asleep, she counts sheep. Sheep Number 19 is told from the point of view of those sheep. I LOVED everything about this book.

I have never been able to rely on counting sheep to go to sleep. They always end up doing much more interesting things like going to ride roller coasters or do acrobatics, and I get too involved in the sheeps' storyline to ever fall asleep. This book made me feel like I wasn't alone in that lol.

I love the way the sheep are drawn & how they have their own voice and personality. This is a fantastic picture book that would be a great bedtime story! I laughed out loud in several places.

Thanks to NetGalley, Blanca Lacasa, and NubeOcho for the chance to read and review!

Sheep Number 19 is an adorable story about teamwork and finding solutions when you're feeling left out. Mrs Ophelia counts her sheep every night but always falls asleep after Sheep Number 18, which leaves many other Sheep feeling sad because they never get the opportunity to be counted! But Sheep Number 19 has a solution and they all work together so that everyone gets a turn and feels valued. It's a sweet story and a fun way to practice counting with kids. Also, I love Mrs Ophelia, she's adorable!!

The story of Sheep Number 19 is about what happens at night when one counts sheep, but falls asleep after sheep number 18. Mrs. Ophelia tosses and turns every night trying to fall asleep. For this reason, every night she counts sheep to get to sleep. Sheep number 19, Ramona, just wants a turn! She tries pretty much every trick she can think of to get a turn. In this situation, she is not alone. There are many other sheep who want a turn as well, but never get one. In that moment, Ramona has a brilliant idea. Jumping two sheep at a time allows for more sheep to get a turn. Several other ideas were quickly devised so that the sheep would have more opportunities to jump over the fence. Then one night...

This story was so unique, creative, and funny! The author is truly so clever to think of a fresh, new story such as this. In a nutshell, this story teaches readers about problem-solving/teamwork skills in a fun and entertaining way. There was a clear conflict, attempts at solutions, and an eventual resolution. I will admit, the ending of the book felt a little bit rapid and/or forced, but the buildup to it was solid. Indirectly, young readers of this book will learn a little about how to solve problems that they likely will encounter in their own lives. That makes this book relevant and useful! On top of that, Ramona is working within a community, which is another great topic for kids to read about in books.
Lastly, I want to briefly acknowledge the illustrations. I loved how the illustrator made every sheep look different rather than having them all be plain and identical. And, of course, the illustrator utilized color to their advantage.
Bravo!