Sheep Dog and Sheep Sheep: Baaad Hair Day by Eric Barclay (review)

Barclay, Eric Sheep Dog and Sheep Sheep: Baaad Hair Day; written and illus. by Eric Barclay. Harper, 2020 [40p] Trade ed. ISBN 9780062677396 $17.99 Reviewed from galleys Ad 3-6 yrs

In this followup to Sheep Dog and Sheep Sheep, Sheep absolutely adores her fluffy white wool, gleefully sporting various hairstyles, but her 'do has grown too full. Unable to see from underneath that glorious cloud, Sheep stumbles into the duck pond, treads through some cow poop, and lands in the pig's mud pit, but fortunately, her pal Sheep Dog is there to help her out of the mess every time. When he finally suggests a shearing, the little lamb takes off, hiding from her friend until she's informed by a helpful duckling that the hair will actually grow back. Kids are likely to see the plot hole right away—if Sheep can't see well in the first place, how can she hide so well?—but Sheep's spunky sass and Sheep Dog's straight-faced demeanor make an appealing combination. The digital illustrations are somewhat flat and generically pastoral, but the expressions are key here, with Sheep Dog looking through his own shaggy mop upon Sheep's antics with a single amused eye and Sheep's sneaky smiles perfectly conveying her mischievous spirit. Most kids won't recognize the nod to Marie Kondo in Sheep's dismissal of a helpful hat ("This hat isn't bringing me joy"), but they will likely giggle when Sheep Dog turns tail after a now sleekly trimmed Sheep suggests he get a cut as well.