Russell the Sheep

Russell the Sheep by Rob Scotton
2005

     Russell the sheep has a problem. After a long and busy day in the fields, all the sheep get ready for bed and are soon asleep.  All but Russell.  He tried everything to make himself sleepy; he covered his eyes with his cap, but was too afraid of the dark; he took his coat off, but then got too cold; he went for a walk to tire himself out and find a new spot to sleep, but the places he found were too cramped, too creepy or too crowded.  What if he tried counting things? He counted every star in the sky, but still nothing...he was wide awake. And then he decided to count sheep.  He counted all the sheep around him and still awake, "Russell realized he had forgotten to count one very important little sheep...himself!" Suddenly, he felt "a tickle, then a twitch, and then...sound asleep."  Too bad the sun was already coming up by then!
     Russell the Sheep is a fun bedtime story for those nights when the little ones at home just don't feel sleepy at all.  I love the illustrations by Rob Scotton and  I must confess that I've been tempted to get an extra copy of the book just so I can use the pages to decorate my kids's rooms.  Its blue and purple tones and the cotton like image of Russell have had a magical effect on my 4 year old during sleepless evenings.  Keep it close to your nightstand.