Brenda is a Sheep

October 1, 2020
Na�ve sheep gleefully dress in a wolf's clothing. "Brenda is a sheep," this tale insists. In Hood's recognizable style, cheerfully straightforward text clashes sharply with the story told through the illustrations. Brenda, after all, is clearly a wolf, with her sharp teeth and gray coat, bright-orange "nice woolly sweater" notwithstanding. She doesn't seem to enjoy the company of sheep, either, looking frustrated at the constant "baa"-ing around her (she is almost buried in iterations of "BAA" that cover 2/3 of the page) and disgusted by grass; her preferred games are tag and archery. Tension grows as Brenda starts preparing for a feast, making a huge vat of mint sauce (readers might need an explanation that this is a common condiment for lamb dishes). But Brenda's plans are foiled when the sheep, all now dressed similarly in orange sweaters made from their own wool, plan a banquet of their own for their beloved friend: delicacies shaped from grass. It seems that the wolf's carnivorous instincts have been curbed, for now. The humor derives from the tension between the innocent story being read aloud and the more sinister elements left unspoken, though the text's insistence that Brenda is a sheep might lead to some awkward and unsatisfying conversations about identity and embodiment. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10.1-by-20.2-inch double-page spreads viewed at 17.7% of actual size.) For young readers with a taste for the ominous. (Picture book. 4-7)

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Starred review from November 1, 2020

PreS-Gr 1-A wolf in sheep's clothing is still a wolf unless that wolf's name is Brenda. Yes, Brenda is a wolf who wears a colorful woolly sweater in an attempt to blend in with the sheep, keeping just one end goal in mind, a scrumptious feast complete with a special mint sauce. But in the process of duping the sheep, mischievous Brenda wins the affection of her fluffy snacks-turned-friends. In the end, it is Brenda who is fooled, or, more accurately reformed, by the sheep, who accept her despite her differences. Young readers and listeners may not yet have encountered the old saying and they may not connect tasty mint sauce to a delicious rack of lamb. But they will relish the bright orange and gray party on every page; the humorous and appealing illustrations buoy the tale, provide a subtext, and leave readers' worries in the dust. VERDICT A very funny addition to any library.-Betsy Davison, formerly at Homer Central H.S., NY

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