Sammy and His Shepherd - A book recommendation

Our family has been reading a chapter from this book at bed time with the girls.  It might be the best children's book I've read.  We simply love it.

The book takes each verse of Psalm 23 and explains it through a story of a little sheep named Sammy who loves his gentle Good Shepherd.  Sammy befriends another sheep from another flock who has a very unkind and unloving shepherd.  A shepherd who even wants to kill her because she is worthless.  Before the unkind shepherd strikes the poor sheep, The Good Shepherd steps in and offers to purchase the sheep.  The bad shepherd calls this little sheep worthless, not worth saving and sickly.  The Good Shepherd says that he loves her and wants her to be one of his sheep, so he pays the price for the sheep, brings her into his flock and gives her a name, Precious.

Sammy and Precious walk through the book and Sammy teaches Precious about the Good Shepherd, how he loves his sheep and takes care of them.  Here are some examples (Spoiler alert...)

*Before Precious is part of the flock, she and Sammy speak several times and sort of compare Shepherds.  Every time, Sammy walks away, grateful for a Shepherd that loves him, protects him, keeps him safe and healthy, and give him water and food.   Precious walks away sad and wishing to be part of the good shepherd's flock, but doesn't know what to do about it.

*As the sheep walk through a dark valley on their way to new pastures, Precious becomes afraid and Sammy says, "Our shepherd is always before us, leading the way.  When it is dark and you can't see him, just listen for his voice....You'll know his voice because you belong to him"

*Near the end, Sammy must teach Precious a valuable lesson, that is difficult to share and hear.  He says, " I used to get annoyed with other sheep all the time. And I had no mercy toward the weaker sheep.  It irritated me that they took so much of the shepherd's time and that we all had to help them....our shepherd taught me what I'm going to tell you.  Here it is, and I hope you'll never forget it: there are no annoying sheep, just annoyed sheep."  He reminds Precious of one thing that all the sheep have in common, "Our good shepherd bought every one of us. We all belong to him."

Each chapter is about a page and a half, perfect for bedtime reading, then there is a "Talk About it page" in the back of the book that correates with the passage we just read.  Usually there are more verses to read from the Bible, and questions to ask your children and discuss with them.


Ah...I feel like I'm doing a horrible job explaining this book....it's so good.  I think we will read this for years and years. 

I'm going to share a portion of Chapter 2
He Makes Me Lie Down in Green Pastures
(this is before Precious has been bought.  She is in her yucky pasture with her mean shepherd)

...Sammy was startled when he heard Grandma's kind old voice.

"Sammy", she said, "do you understand why your friend can't lie down and rest?"

"No, ma'am"

"Let me tell you about sheep," Grandma said, "We cannot lie down and rest unless four things are done for us."

..."First...we must not be afraid.  We are easily frightened because we're helpless.  Think about it, Sammy.  We have no way to defend ourselves.  One dog or coyote can terrify a whole flock of sheep.  Without a shepherd to protect us, we are too afraid to lie down."

..."There must not be any bickering with other sheep in the flock.  We can be very cruel to each other.  Bigger, aggressive sheep bully weaker sheep.  Bossy sheep push the others away from the best grazing places.  When we're squabbling, we can't lie down and rest.  But our shepherd stops our silly fights.  Then we can rest."

..."We must be peaceful.  This means we must be free from flies and parasites swarming around our heads and up our noses.  Those pesky bugs drive us crazy.  I've seen sheep shake their heads and stamp their hoofs trying to get rid of them.  I seem to remember that you had a problem with nose flies once....a good shepherd applies a special oil to his sheep.  This oil keeps the bugs away.  Then we are peaceful and we can lie down and rest."

..."The fourth thing we need is food.  We cannot lie down if we're hungry.  A good shepherd clears the pasture of rocks, prepares the soil, and plants grain so that his sheep will have plenty to eat.  Look at your friend's rocky pasture.  There's not much grass there.  Now look at our beautiful green pasture.  Sammy, why do you think there is such a difference?"

"Because we belong to a good shepherd who prepares green pastures for us.  I'm glad I belong to our shepherd."

Grandma nodded in agreement. "I've belonged to him for a very long time, Sammy, and every day I am more thankful that he makes me lie down in green pastures."

The book ends with the sheep going back home, down through the valley into the original pasture. Precious says to Sammy, "You have shown me that the more we know our shepherd, the more we become like him.  He is good and merciful, and when we live with him we become good and merciful, too.  Being with him changes us from silly sheep to faithful followers....I will dwell in our shepherd's flock forever.  I know that even if I stray away, he will come after me and bring me home because he loves me and I belong to him.  I can't wait to tell other about him."

You can buy the book here
You can read an actual review here.