Well it is that super special week in August.

BOOK WEEK!

By late Thursday I would expect that book inspired costumes have been prepared and worn. Much joy felt by the child wearing the costume.

Pride felt by us parents.

And shared joy felt across the class and school. Finding out about each others favourite books and book characters.

The mystery of what everyone is going to dress up as for BOOK WEEK has been unwrapped!

Miss Farmer told me yesterday that BOOK WEEK dress up day is her favourite day of the year at school. As she loves finding out what everyone is going to dress up as.

This just warms the cockles of my heart.

To hear his from my kids.

A love of books, is something I have tried my best to share from the time they were babies.

That this has been felt and absorbed.

It means a lot.

My Nana loved to read. She had books sent up from the Library in Adelaide on the train. To the farm. So she could have a steady supply of books to enjoy.

I have memories of BOOK WEEK as a child, as a teacher and now as a parent.

It is just such as special week.

Filled with so much joy.

As a teacher, my love of children’s picture books grew and grew.

I love quality storytelling.

I love quality illustrations.

I love how reading aloud a picture book brings closeness and connection with another real person.

I love how reading can transport you to a different time and place.

There is just so much to love about real, old school books.

I know the importance of children listening to many, many books read aloud. It is critical in children’s language development. Which is the pathway to written literacy later.

I have felt the calm and relaxation that comes from reading and being read aloud to. Just 6 minutes of reading daily can reduce your stress by 68%.

I know that reading is the perfect antidote to screens (which overload the dopamine centres of children’s brains).

I believe that books should and can be read over and over and over again. Loved more each time. New details noticed. New understandings developed each time a beautiful picture book is revisited.

I believe that you are never too old to read and love a picture book.

Today, in honour of book week, I would love to share with you some of my and our families favourite farm picture books about sheep and lambs.

Encouraging kids to love to read, is often most successful when they are reading something they are interested in.

Our kids and family are interested in farming.

So many, many farm, sheep, cow, tractor theme books have been read and loved over the years.

On our farm, it is the time of the year when the grass and pasture is coming along. With warmer days, pasture growth increases. It’s late winter. The lambs are growing well and coming towards size.

So this is why I have chosen the “lamb and sheep” picture books to share with you today.

Here is the count down.

No. 5 - George the Farmer : Shears a Sheep.

Written and Illustrated by Simone Kain and Ben Hood

This is a South Australian picture book which shares the story and joy of shearing time on a local farm. This book is a firm favourite with Master Farmer. As are many of the “George the Farmer” series of books.

What I love about “George the Farmer : Shears a Sheep”

Facts about farming and shearing are interwoven into a story.
This book is very much “on the money” with the real life facts of shearing time here in South Australia. Many other farming books we have read from other countries and places are similar. But don’t tell the local story of farming as we live it. The George the Farmer books were started and designed to tell local stories, by local people.
There is a lot of humour in these George the Farmer books. As is featured in this story with rain coming mid shearing. Rain is not a farmer or shearers friend at shearing time. Wet sheep cannot be shorn. It puts a delay mid shearing. And a spanner in the schedule of shearers plans for other shearing sheds in coming weeks.
Australian language and way of life is featured in this book, including George exclaiming “by jingo” when the rains are coming, mid cricket match.

Did you know that you can visit the “George the Farmer” shop here at Penola in the South East of South Australia. It is definitely worth a visit to stock up on the latest George the Farmer books and merch.

No. 4 - Time for Bed

by Mem Fox and Illustrated by Jane Dyer

Mem Fox is a world renoud picture book author, also from here in South Australia.

Reading aloud is and can be enjoyed across the day with young children.

However, bedtime reading has always been a cemented in part of our families bed time routine.

When our kids were babies and toddlers, this book “Time for Bed” was the last book that we would read, in a sweet little board book. So it holds extra special memories.

There are historical connection with sheep and sleep. Not least the rhyme in the words. But also about counting sheep to get to sleep.

What I love about “Time for Bed”

The illustrations by Jane Dyer are just so magical, whimsical and beautiful. The soft muted tones and beauty in the detail of these illustrations are just something else. The Mama sheeps’ sleepy eye on the cover just conveys the feeling of “ahh”, a beautifully full day with little ones is soon to be done. Rest is near.
I love the rhyme all the way through this book. Rhyme is fun to hear. Playing with, hearing and later identifying rhyme are an important building block in the steps towards later formal literacy skills.

No 3 - Peg the Little Sheepdog

by Sandra Klaassen

Peg is a border collie sheep dog. Sheep dogs and sheep go together on a sheep farm. Peg’s story is set in the country side of Scotland. Peg is a little sheep dog with a big heart. And an even bigger fear of sheep. Such a beautiful picture book that we have enjoyed to read over and over. A firm favourite of Miss Farmers.

What I love about Peg the Little Sheepdog

I love that this story is about facing fears. Finding the inner courage to be a little more brave than yesterday. With a theme of worthy achievements being worth the discomfort or struggle.
The illustrations are so beautiful. I’m not an artist, however they appear to feature water colour. But also with a “real lifeness” quality to them.

No 2 - The Little Lamb

Story by Judy Dunn. Photographs by Phoebe Dunn

The Little Lamb is a vintage classic picture book from my childhood. Both our kids have dressed up in a “lamb onsies” as Timothy “The Little Lamb” over the years for book week.

This sweet little picture book features vintage classic photographs from the 1970’s. Featuring Emmy in 1970’s flared jeans and children in distinctive 1970’s dresses and shoes.

What I love about “The Little Lamb”

It is a heart warming story about hand rearing a lamb when he is without his mother. I recall bottle feeding lambs in my childhood. Our children love helping with bottle feeding lambs today.
It is a sweet story about the simple joys of farm life. Along with the joy in companionship with animals.
This story represents our family’s story of farming and raising sheep and lambs, in a hard copy paper form. So it really means something to us.
The photographs which tell the story, bring back memories of the bright and bold textiles and fabrics of the 1970’s and 1980’s time of my childhood.

No. 1 - Where is the Green Sheep?

By Mem Fox and Illustrated by Judy Horacek

Where is the Green Sheep is a story of so many sheep! As the reader, you are on the hunt for the missing green sheep. With the oh so cleverly engaging, quiet . . . pause just near the end of the story. It completely draws kids in. Keeps them listening every time.

Where is the Green Sheep is a picture book classic. I have read this book aloud as a big book so many times, I would guess close to a million! And I still love it!

When teaching full-time, we did a terms focus with kindy children on Where is the Green Sheep. There is just so much to explore and learn from and in this picture book when its really pulled apart and engaged with deeply.

What I love about “Where is the Green Sheep?”

Where is the Green Sheep is FUN FUN FUN! Fun story, fun illustrations, just all round fun! The sheep on ski’s going down the slide (safety warning - not recommended in real life), but what fun! Kids love it. And laugh their little hearts out. I also love the page near the end with all the different sheep - pina colada sheep, ned kelly sheep, parachuting sheep, acrobat sheep, scuba diving sheep. Just to name a few. Go take a look, it’s just SO FUN!
I love the bright, engaging and colorful illustrations by Judy Horacek.
I love that this book explores the concept of “opposites” in an engaging way.
I love the sense of adventure of the hunt for the dear green sheep.
Most of all, I love the memories of reading Where is the Green Sheep? with my own kids. And of teaching and reading this big book aloud oh so many times.

I hope you pick up a copy and be a part of the joy of a read aloud too.

Honourable Mentions

Here are a few more fun sheep books that didn’t quite make my Top 5.

Flocked by Chren Byng and Andrew Joyner.

I love how this book explores the concept of belonging to your “flock”. But also being true to yourself. And that with courage, perhaps you can do both.

Russell the Sheep by Rob Scotton

I love how this book explores the age old idea of counting sheep to go to sleep. Russell’s long blue and white stripped night cap bed hat is just so iconic and connects with the story of “wee willy winky” in a victorian style night cap.

Farmyard Friends : Sheep (information text) by Camilla de la Bedoyere

Lovely photographs. Interesting information from a range of sheep farms and locations around the world.

FOR THE LOVE OF READING

I hope that you and your family enjoy some picture books together during BOOK WEEK. Or a family novel read aloud for children a little older.

Schedule in a visit to your local library for a regular borrowing time. Library afternoon is the most peaceful time in our house. When returning home, our kids each explore a new selection of books. Cosying up on the couch in front of the fire. To enjoy a good read. It’s just the best.

Do yourself a favour and make yourself a well labelled “library returns basket” in your hall or entrance cupboard. I have done so recently. It has changed my life. Really.

Clear out old books that are not loved or favorites. Donate some to your local second hand book hub. And make space for new. I find this always grows a new vigor and interest in reading. By either returning to treasured favorites. Or finding new reading loves.

Sit down yourself, for 6 minutes and read a real book. Who doesn’t need a 68% stress reduction in 6 minutes.

That dinner prep will wait 6 minutes.

And great for your kids to see you reading a book too.

For growing their love of readings as well.

I do have a dream of being a published children’s book author one day. Best put it on my vision board.

I trust that BOOK WEEK has been a treasured and fun time for you and your family too.

Love to you all, Misses Farmer X