Leslie Helakoski

From the opening line - "Wilbur had a little trouble with the herd today," said Maa - this delightful picture-book had me chuckling, absorbed in the unfolding tale of a little sheep continually out of step with his peers. Woolbur can never seem to conform to the "normal" standards of ovine behavior, whether that be running with the other sheep, as opposed to those "wild" dogs, or submitting to being sheared. Every time his parents task him with one of his unusual actions or choices, he show more responds with a cheery "I know! Isn't that great?", and Grandpaa intones, "Don't worry! But Maa and Paa do worry - they worry a lot - and finally, they inform Wilbur that he must do what the other sheep are doing. Is this the end of Wilbur's unique way of being in the world...?

With its effective use of repetition - Wilbur's parents continually question him, while Wilbur himself is continually unconcerned - and endearing characters, Leslie Helakoski's narrative is both entertaining and thought-provoking. Whether it is read as a meditation on being different, on having self-confidence, or on becoming a leader, it is an amusing story in its own right. Lee Harper's fluffy-looking illustrations suit the tale perfectly, capturing Wilbur's insouciant joy, his parents nightly worry (they continually pull on their wool), and Grandpaa's reassuring presence. Highly recommended! show less

Woolbur, that positive-thinking sheep who marched to the beat of his own drum in author Leslie Helakoski and illustrator Lee Harper's eponymous picture-book, Woolbur, returns in this second adventure, this time confronting his first day of school. Maa and Paa aren't sure he's ready (or that school is ready for him), but Woolbur has no doubts, and his happy outlook proves quite effective, not only at getting him through his first day, but as reassuring some of the other new students...

Having show more greatly enjoyed both the humorous story and cute illustrations of Woolbur's debut adventure, I picked up Ready or Not, Woolbur Goes to School! with high expectations. All in all, I was not disappointed, finding both text and artwork appealing. I don't know that this one struck me as being quite as humorous as the first, but then, perhaps that's the result of my knowing what to expect. That said, this is one I would recommend, both to fans of Woolbur, and to anyone looking for new "first day of school" stories with a fun, positive, can-do attitude. show less

Children wonder if kids in other lands see things the same way they do. I had mixed feelings on this one. Was it too much of pointing out differences? Can't put my finger on what exactly keeps me from a higher rating. I liked the illustrative style, but the text design was poor - there were several pages that low contrast coloration and placement made it very difficult to find the text on the page.

Four chickens want to see the farmhouse but are timid in their search. After several attempts and some misadventures they finally find it not far from their backdoor. Goofy and fun for younger audience. Encourages exploration.