The SheepOver (Sweet Pea & Friends Series #1)

by Jennifer Churchman, John Churchman

Overview

Meet the adorable orphan lamb Sweet Pea and discover why her true story has become a picture book phenomenon and enchanted readers of all ages!

One cold winter night, Sweet Pea the orphan lamb becomes very sick. Everyone in the farmyard is worried about her! Under the watchful care of Farmer John, Laddie the sheepdog, and Dr. Alison the mobile veterinarian, she slowly recovers. Dr. Alison tells Sweet Pea she can have a sleepover to celebrate as soon as she is well again. When the day finally comes, her closest friends Sunny, Prem, and Violet join her in the greenhouse for a fun and imaginative "SheepOver" celebration.

This charming story of caring and friendship by farm owners John and Jennifer Churchman, brought to life with John's entrancing photo-illustrations, will enchant readers young and old. In the words of one of her many fans, "Sweet Pea brings a calming, authentic joy to my life that makes me laugh, cry and gives me hope that all is well in the world. . . . Everyone needs a little Sweet Pea in their lives!"

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780316273565
Publisher:	Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication date:	12/08/2015
Series:	Sweet Pea & Friends Series , #1
Pages:	44
Sales rank:	204,119
Product dimensions:	10.10(w) x 11.10(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	3 - 6 Years

About the Author

John Churchman is a photographer, artist, and farmer. Jennifer Churchman is a multimedia artist and writer.

John and Jennifer combine their talents to give voice to the stories of all the animals who surround them and add boundless enjoyment to their lives. They have made their home on a small farm in the beautiful countryside of Essex, Vermont, with their daughter Gabrielle. They are also the authors of Brave Little Finn, A Farm for Maisie,and the New York Times bestseller The SheepOver.

Editorial Reviews

…an unusual feel-good story…of an interconnected rural utopia, in which farm animals, people and even wild animals look out for one another…The story…is perfectly paced and gently reassuring—two fail-safe qualities when it comes to holding the attention and interest of small children. The Churchmans seem to have come to them intuitively rather than through an apprenticeship in or study of children's literature. There is a whiff of outsider art to the book—of not really caring, or perhaps not even knowing, what mainstream children's books look like. Most professional children's books creators, for example, would probably focus either on a "sickness and recovery" narrative or a "party" one—rather than combining those two arcs. Yet the pivot from Sweet Pea's dire situation and the visit from the vet, and the animals' festive sleepover party…is just how children write their own stories, whether on a page or as they play.

The New York Times Book Review - Maria Russo

A New York Times bestseller!"

I'd never met John, or heard of his farm, but when he brought in this book for us to consider selling, it was hard not to jump over the counter and pump his hand in congratulations....This is a book that sells itself the minute you put it into a customer's hands."—Elizabeth Bluemle, Publishers Weekly Shelftalker blog

"The Churchmans capture something that feels like a modern-day fairy tale."—Publishers Weekly

"Perfectly paced and gently reassuring"—The New York Times

From the Publisher

03/01/2016
PreS-Gr 2—Inspired by a true story, this picture book debut tells the story of Sweet Pea, a lamb who is very sick. Everyone in the farmyard is worried, including Farmer John, who takes quick action by summoning Vet Alison to treat Sweet Pea's injured leg and fever. She promises Sweet Pea that when she is fully healed a special treat awaits her in the greenhouse: a sleepover with all of her farm friends. Sweet Pea and the other farm animals like many of the same things young children enjoy when sleeping over at friends' houses such as eating delicious food, dressing up, dancing, and listening to bedtime stories. Photo-illustrations offer readers comical close-ups of Sweet Pea and her pals combined with digitally manipulated backdrops that lend the tale a fantastical feel. Text incorporates dialogue and uses refrains to show the anthropomorphized farm animals' concern for Sweet Pea and celebration for her recovery. Sweet Pea is a cutie, but there are far better farm-themed options available. VERDICT Not an essential purchase.—Samantha Lumetta, Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, OH

School Library Journal