Counting Sheep
Michelle Robinson and Nikki Dyson
Walker Books

Sheepdog Sam has had a tiring day and he’s more than ready for sleep. Not so the sheep; they’re still way too lively. Sam suggests they should try counting sheep ie themselves to make them nod off. He starts “One, Two …”; the sheep try to continue but clearly need lots more practice, so Sam notices as he dashes off towards other wakeful animals. He gives the horses the same ‘count yourselves’ instruction, which results in Sam feeling more drowsy and the horses uttering letters of the alphabet.

It soon transpires that all the farm animals are still wide awake even the cows and Sam leads them into the barn urging them to demonstrate the sleep-inducing counting to the entire farmyard contingent.

The result is only a lot of mooing: it’s time to visit the hen house to seek an answer to the wakefulness epidemic. It’s there that Sam finally discovers the insomnia explanation; it’s also another counting opportunity for the other animals.

Michelle Robinson’s comical bedtime story and counting book with a difference, in combination with Nikki Dyson’s wonderfully expressive illustrations of the farm animals, will surely make wide awake young children giggle. It also offers lots of counting occasions – albeit sometimes slightly chaotic ones – on almost every spread.