We Adopted a Baby Lamb

Ila and her family had recently moved to the country as Ila’s parents craved more space and a simpler life. Soon, they adopt an abandoned lamb who joins Ila, her grumpy teenage sister, and four cats. In this charming picture book by illustrator and fine artist Lori Joy Smith, caring for a little farm animal helps Ila and her sister acclimate to their new life in the country.

We Adopted a Baby Lamb is a lighthearted informational book for young children. In this real-life story, two sisters learn to care for a baby lamb, Albert. They get advice from a friend who lives on a farm and stock up on supplies, including a thermometer for heating formula, lots of blankets and towels, diapers, and a big baby lamb bottle. These details will help young readers make connections between caring for a baby lamb and caring for a sibling or a pet. Despite the challenges the siblings face in raising a lamb that gets into everything, Albert brings joy and adventure, lessening their sadness of moving to the country.

This brightly illustrated picture book, ideal for young children age 3-5, is small enough for them to hold. There are only a few sentences of text per page, with appropriate vocabulary. The simple, sketch-like illustrations support the story and introduce new vocabulary through little bubbles of dialogue, onomatopoeia, or lists. The size of this book, including the font size and type, and illustrations, makes it ideal for reading one-on-one rather than as a read-aloud to a large group.

The color palette of the book is apparent from the title page with Albert skipping across the bright yellow cover wearing a coral and white sweater. The colour scheme is cohesive throughout the picture book, with bold, black text which pops against the bright yellow background. Illustrations are in coral, black, white, and light yellow. However, some illustrated pages contain white cursive text which is difficult to read against the yellow background and may interfere with young readers’ comprehension.

We Adopted a Baby Lamb, based on a true story of a family who adopted a lamb when they moved to the country, will captivate children and help them make connections to such concepts as empathy, caregiving, and resilience. Young readers will learn about aspects of farm life and will enjoy seeing photographs of the real Albert at the end of the book.