A farm boy is given a runt of the lamb to raise as his own and the two grow up together, learning their roles and jobs as they go. A sweet story, not too sad or sappy. ( )

A boy in a family of sheep farmers raises a black lamb to be leader of the flock.

Read for Newbery club, Children's Books Group, GR. ?áI enjoyed this, especially all the authentic information about what a farming/shepherd's life is really about. ?áLike Ingalls' Farmer Boy, about Almanzo's childhood, there's lots of love, hard work, and food, but the emphasis there was horses, not sheep. ?áBoth families are significantly more well-off than Laura's, but that's because they didn't keep going west to pioneer like Pa! I liked that there were basically two sections: the first, as Peter gets just old & big enough to be a real helper, and the second, as he's actually considered ready for a young man's work & responsibilities. ?áThe in-between years are skipped - which makes for a more concise and engaging book, in my opinion. ?áVery cycle of life, too. ?áWe see life throughout a year, and we see the cosset grow up and her ewe lamb grow up and take over as leader of the flock ( )

This gentle story of a boy, a lamb, love and loss, is a 1944 Newbery honor book. It is a light, delightful read. ( )

A quiet and well written book about a young boy who grows up alongside pet lamb. Yates develops carefully the growing relationship between Peter and his father, and the steady friendship with an old shepherd. Along the way they meet with danger and heartache. Would work well as a read aloud, but probably too calm to appeal to most children for free reading. As a bonus, the line drawings by Nora Unwin are excellent. (Used as a read aloud for first grade)