The Black Sheep

In this Nativity story, the rebellious black sheep of a shepherd's flock runs away, and finds a cave to live in. During a heavy winter storm, the sheep becomes lost, away from her home. The glow of a light from her cave leads her to it, and she finds a man, a woman and a newborn there, seeking shelter. The baby is cold, so the black sheep offers herself as a wooly nest. The shepherd finds the black sheep and decides to leave her wth the family. Although this is a cliche expanded into a picture book, it has both warmth and a gentle simplicity. But it is the dusky watercolors that are the book's true strength; the winter scenes are vibrant and the scenes of the holy family are glowing. (4-8)