Bettina Wegenast

Big Bad Sheep by Bettina Wegenast is a mixed up fairy tail of sorts. In it a sheep wishes to apply for the position of a wolf. He is awarded the job on a trial basis and goes straight to work terrorizing his fellow sheep, including eating an old rival. Another sheep who has followed the whole ordeal has enough and applies for the position of hunter. In the end they do away with the tradition of wolves eating sheep and hunters rescuing sheep. While my children and I really enjoyed the illustrations by Katharina Busshoff, we felt that there needed to be more character development. We didn't feel like we got to know any of the characters well enough to think anything of them other than to feel sorry for them for being in this story. Based on the description I had read of this book, I was hoping for so much more.… (mehr)

Big Bad Sheep is a wonderfully warped children’s book from Germany, written by Bettina Wegenast and illustrated by Katharina Busshoff. It is written in an irreverent, self-aware manner, and the quirky line-drawings accompany the story on each page.

The book takes place after the defeat of the Big Bad Wolf by the Three Little Pigs, when a cantankerous sheep decides he could take on the role of the Wolf splendidly. Going through bureaucratic registration, he gains the official Wolf suit. However, when this sheep in wolf’s clothing takes his new job too seriously, his sheep friend must counter by applying for the position of the Hunter.

This twist on fairy tales and fables is sharp enough for both adults and kids, but not mockingly cynical like many contemporary retellings. And I don’t know of many children’s books that would name their three sheep characters Karl, Locke, and Renee!… (mehr)

My six year-old is dictating this review:
This book is about sheep that wanted to be the town's big bad wolf (a tradition) so he could scare everyone. He actually ate a sheep so his other friend dressed up as a hunter to rescue the eaten sheep. After the rescue (everyone lives) they decide to get rid of the wrecked wolf costume and get rid of the tradition of having a wolf in town.

I liked this book because it was creative and about animals and dressing up. I think it would be best for 6 year olds who can read well.

Parental note: Obviously the irony is lost on a 6 year old!… (mehr)