The Quest of the Warrior Sheep

In a series launch, this husband-and-wife team sends a quirky group of characters careening across England at a madcap pace. When a mobile phone falls from the sky and onto a field, five rare-breed sheep with distinct personalities (and a love for rap music) are convinced that it is the magical Baaton of ancient ovine prophecy, and that they must return the item to its rightful owner, Lord Aries. Dropped from a hot air balloon by two bumbling bank employees who have scammed customers out of their savings, the phone actually contains evidence of the crime. One of their victims is the feisty owner of the sheep, who (with her grandson in tow) pursues her missing animals, as do the bankers, who are intent on retrieving the phone. While the sheep's final goal feels tenuous, it's all about the journey: barnyard puns (including a llama lama who speaks in parables) and the running conceit of the herd's unusual intelligence, despite their share of woolly-headed moments, will go a long way in keeping middle-grade readers engaged. Ages 9%E2%80%9312. (Feb.)