Sheepish (Wolf Under Cover)
Wolf has a plan to sneak into the neighborhood sheep herd to find a tasty treat. He puts together a fluffy, cotton-like costume that he thinks makes him blend in with the sheep. Once in, his plan includes being helpful, being handy, being fun and friendly—a real team player. Wolf realizes that the sheep are his friends and he could never eat them! Upon returning home, Wolf crafts miniature sheep-like figurines from his costume to decorate his fireplace mantle while he reading about vegetarianism. There is a knock at the door, and Wolf opens the door to surprise guests!
Pennsylvania Center for the Book Awards
Book Activities & Discussion Ideas
Before reading hand each child a cotton ball and explain that the cotton balls have a part in the story that you are about to read. Look at the cover of the book, and ask children to predict what they think the cotton balls have to do with the story of a wolf. Accept all suggestions. Read the story. After reading, review the predictions that the children made, and talk about how the cover of a book can sometimes give clues about the story. Use the cotton balls (each child may need additional cotton balls) to make their own sheep to remind them to retell their families the story of Sheepish (Wolf Under Cover). Eyes and feet can be created from construction paper or other materials.
In the story, Wolf has a step-by-step plan for capturing and eating some sheep. Discuss with families what in the story changes the wolf’s mind? Suggest to families that they can talk about the story with young readers in the same way. There are signs throughout the story that the wolf comes to see the sheep as his friends. Signs include all of the helpful ways the wolf interacts with the sheep and their positive responses to his overtures. The story provides a way to talk about what is means to be a friend: helping and being handy when needed, being fun and friendly, and sharing stories with each other.