Those Magnificent Sheep and their Flying Machine

This book is just splendid, not to be missed! The illustrator shows great empathy with the storyline, bringing the whole to life. It is such fun to read aloud, with rhyming text and a wonderful bouncy rhythm. Any audience will soon be joining in the flying adventures of Lambert, Eunice, Marty, and Mabs, Old Uncle Ramsbottom, Bart, Ben and Babs. These amazing sheep are beautifully depicted, individuals with such character that each can be identified on every page as they take to the skies in their spiffing, yellow flying machine. Wonderful use of alliteration to heighten the drama, as they declare the world is their oyster, and can-can in France, flamenco in Spain… visiting numerous  other world-wide, breath-taking sights. Eventually they state,’Travel is fun! Every person should try it!’ But there’s no place like home if you want peace and quiet. The resolution is skilful, the illustrations adding more character still to those daring, mischievous sheep. Bently has won the Roald Dahl Funny Prize, and this tale is sure to reach dizzy heights too. It has gone straight into my box of favourite books for sharing with children, as a starter for drama, discussion, world map exploration, artwork, writing their own version of visits, examining rhythm and rhyme… It’s a beaut.