Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews
The Warrior Sheep Go West
Fiction Series
For ages 9 to 11
Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, 2011 ISBN: 978-1402259258
It has been raining for several days, and Ida White’s five rare breed sheep are taking shelter in the barn with the chickens and Ida’s laptop. Ida likes to provide her chickens with music, and while the sheep are listening to a download on the laptop a pop-up appears on the screen showing a big red tongue. A voice says, “you Rams and Ewes and Lambs. This message is for you. We’re gonna slaughter you. We’re on our way. Red Tongue! Remember the name!”
Sal remembers that the Songs of the Fleece, the sheep verses that had been handed down from ewe to lamb for centuries, refers to this threat. It is up to her and her friends to stop the dreaded Red Tongue from killing helpless sheep and they must go west to a place where “the sun scorches and the hottest winds blow.” Since there are no hot winds in Wales, the sheep are going to have to go much further west, to America.
What the sheep don’t know is that Holly, a crackpot American scientist’s wife, has decided that the five sheep, who are famous, are perfect specimens to be used in her husband’s big project. Being a very rich person, Holly quickly arranges to have the sheep flown to America, along with Ida White and her grandson Tod.
Before they quite have the time to think things through, Ida and Todd are on American soil and their sheep are destined to be used for nefarious purposes by Holly’s mad spouse. Holly knows the sheep are smart, but she does not know that these five animals have an uncanny ability for getting in, and then out, of unfortunate situations. Holly may have plans for the sheep, but they are bent on stopping Red Tongue before it is too late, and nothing is going to stop them.
Readers who enjoyed the first Warrior Sheep title are sure to enjoy this new adventure. Once again the sheep set out to save sheepkind at great risk to their wooly selves. Chases across a desert, a mad scientist, a Wild West ghost town, and five loveable main characters makes this a winning title for young readers.
