Belgian author and illustrator Guido Van Genechten won the Hasselt International Illustrators Award in 1998 with his picture book "Ricky." This prize was the beginning of his international career as a children's book illustrator. In 2007 he was the winner of the Reader's Digest Award for Best Children's Book Illustrator, and his book "Little Kangaroo" was declared Best Picture Book of the Year. Besides Ricky and Little Kangaroo, Guido has created many popular characters, including Little White Fish, Snowy the polar bear, Tito the clown, and Max the badger. Guido studied drawing and painting, graphics, and photography at the Academy of Fine Arts in Mol, Belgium. For many years he worked in the graphic industry. Now he works as a full-time writer and illustrator of children's books.

"Van Genechten salutes those who refuse to conform.
The sheep in this book all do the same things at the same time: eating, chewing their cuds, and even lifting their tails and depositing droppings. But Scout is different. Scout dreamingly gazes at a butterfly when everyone else munches grass, sleeps upside down with hooves in the air while the others slumber on their bellies, and glances skyward when it's time to frolic. On each spread, an unseen narrator explains a typical event in the day of the life of this herd while also encouraging young readers to examine the visuals closely to find Scout, who's physically similar to the others but always doing something a bit different. The tale ends on a humorous note, with Scout deciding to break free of this relatively humdrum existence. First published in Belgium and the Netherlands and translated from Dutch, the simple text weaves in information about the lives of sheep while supporting those that don't follow the usual path. Sheep lovers will appreciate the illustrations of the animals, with their heavily textured fleeces, but all readers will enjoy the vivid, ever-changing background colors, which make each page turn a treat. With its gentle, low-key text, this one will lull little ones to sleep while reassuring them that being different is more than OK.
A snuggly lap-time read-aloud that celebrates those who stand out from the herd. (Picture book. 4-7)" - Kirkus Reviews

Publisher: Clavis

Pub date: 2025-04-22

Length: 32 pages