Pete the Sheep

Jackie French (author)

Bruce Whatley (Illustrations)

Angus&Robertson, Australia: 2004

ISBN: 0207199663

Genres: humour, picture book

Issues: differences, stereotypes

Pete is no ordinary sheep. He is a sheep-sheep. Where other shearers have sheepdogs, Shaun has Pete.

Ratso, Big Bob and Bungo, the other shearers, are furious and refuse to allow Pete to work in their shed. Saddened by this unexpected turn of events, Shaun takes his faithful sheep-sheep and starts as new business - Shaun's Sheep Salon - where he uses his shearing skills to create unique hair (wool) styles for sheep in the surrounding area.

Jackie French and Bruce Whatley (Diary of a Wombat) have joined forces again to create another wonderfully whimsical story about people (and animals) who like to do things a little... differently. Clever writing creates four distinct human characters (even Bungo, ‘who never said much') and a sheep whose simple ‘baaas' carry a whole range of meanings. Whatley's illustrations are a wonderful realisation of the simple story as well as the subtext (it's okay to be different) and add layers of humour through the enormous range of ‘sheepish' expressions he brings to the four-legged creatures.