Delilah

purchased book because grandfather grew up on storybook farm and sold farm to authors family, soooo cool. Cute story for readers.

On the surface, this appears to be a story about a sheep; but it is really a parable about how much happier you will be if you are true to yourself and resist peer pressure. We read this story several years ago, when my son was around 4. He loved it and we would read it to him again and again. Now that my oldest is in high school, I keep remembering the message of this story. This book should have received an award, such as a Caldecott. I can't believe a great book like this is out of print. This is a book that is not just entertaining, but has a message that stays with you.

_Delilah_ is a picture book for 4-8 year olds. It is the first picture book I have ever seen with a pro-geek, pro-homeschooling message. Farmer Red wants a lamb for wool and for company. The factory farm sells expensive sheep that are one year old and have been fully trained in obediance, grazing and wool production. All Red can afford is one little unschooled lamb. He names her Delilah. She is curious and eager to be with him, so he teaches her all sorts of ways to help around the farm. Delilah spends all year learning how to take care of plants and the other animals. For Christmas Red gives Delilah a collar with a bell. Red enjoys Delilah's company so much that in the spring he uses the money from her wool to buy a dozen year-old sheep. But the factory sheep aren't like Delilah. They have been thoroughly indoctrinated to believe that all they should do is graze and grow wool. They don't want to work or even to play. And they want nothing to do with Delilah as long as she "acts like a person." Red is unhappy because Delilah is unhappy. Delilah wonders if there is something wrong with her. She asks the sheep what it will take to be accepted by them as a "normal" sheep. They order her to give up her individuality and become a nameless member of the herd. It breaks Delilah's heart, but she can't stand being an outcast any longer. Red finds her discarded collar, and it breaks his heart too. For months Delilah tries to be a "normal" sheep and not do anything except graze. The effort makes her and Red miserable, and the other sheep are just as mean to her as they were before. Finally Delilah can't stand it any longer, and joyfully goes back to being Red's friend and helper. "As for the other sheep? They keep to themselves and eat their grass and can't understand why Delilah would want to do any differently. When they see her with Red, they make nasty faces, but Delilah doesn't care. It's a farm after all, and there's work to be done." I'm so glad to see a picture book that celebrate individuality and achievement. May this book will help many young children fight off the corrosive effects of peer pressure to "conform". But for me the best part of the book is how I got it. My sister-in-law gave it to my older daughter for her 6th birthday, and the book represents my sister-in-law's ringing endorsement and support of our decision to homeschool our children. I whole-heartedly recommend this book for any child who is homeschooled or who just needs encouragement to stand out from the crowd.

I grabbed this book at the library on our weekly Saturday visit because it bore the name of our adopted dog. It quickly became a family favorite. It is sweet, and has a simple and touching message. If you don't get a little choked up when Delilah licks Red's face after their separation, you need to get back in touch with your inner 5-year-old. Loaded with lovely and humorous illustrations, this book is great for children and adults.

My 4-year old daughter is absolutely entranced with this book. We got if from the library and she had me read it 4 or 5 times a day. She giggled like crazy to see the little lamb with the pretty name Delilah sitting at the breakfast table, collecting eggs and riding the tractor. We live on a farm so it was especially amusing. Although the vocabulary and story length is geared to a slightly older child, she followed the story fine and learned a few new words. The adorable pictures make this a fun book for any age.