The Girl and the Sheep

Clara, a young girl in a mustard-yellow raincoat, arrives at a quiet animal sanctuary with a satchel of brushes. There she meets Maya, the caretaker, who introduces her to Willow, a shy cream-white sheep with a grey face, floppy ears and a red collar with a little brass bell. Their first meeting is tentative and gentle, and it marks the beginning of a friendship that grows through daily visits.

As Clara learns to fill the trough, spread hay and pick clover, she begins to notice the small things that make Willow special: a soft mossy spot under the old oak tree, a taste for young dandelion leaves, a liking for scratches just behind the collar, and a low rumbly hum that the sheep makes only when she feels safe. When a group of noisy children visits and frightens Willow, Clara uses what she has learned to stand close and show the others how to walk slowly and talk softly. Written by Jane MEADOW, this story for young readers shows how patience, observation and quiet kindness build trust between a child and an animal. You can read this tale on Kids Tale Book.