Ulrich Hub

Eines Nachts können die Schafe nicht schlafen, da ein hell leuchtender Stern die Nacht zum Tag macht - und, welch ein Schreck, die Hirten sind auch weg.

Und so macht sich die ganze große Herde (jedes Schaf wird einzeln vorgestellt) auf den Weg, die Hirten zu suchen. Aber das letzte Schaf hat schnell keine Lust mehr und so kommt es am Ende doch anders als erwartet.

Die Schafe der Herde sind liebenswert beschrieben und genauso liebenswert gezeichnet und haben, wir wir Menschen, zunächst einmal Schwierigkeiten die frohe Botschaft zu verstehen. Und so ist dann diese weihnachtliche Geschichte nicht nur etwas für Kinder.

Klare Empfehlung, die um Weihnachten mal die etwas andere Weihnachtsgeschichte lesen wollen.… (más)

Cute illustrations are throughout this translated-to-English children's novel. The story is cute enough to entertain voracious readers, but many children may find the book a little draggy. I don't really want to dwell on the negative, and I know it is hard to write a universal kids' book nowadays. If your child loves penguins and just can't read enough, check this one out from the library. The book questions God's motives in flooding the Earth (killing most of the animals and humans) and many other things you or your kids might ask. The answers are a little mixed.

I received this book from the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program.… (más)

My 9 year old daughter and I read this short book in a few sittings and found it charming and funny. The author takes a perennial favorite story, Noah's ark, and turns it on its ear. Younger children might simple find the story fun. The two chosen penguins don't want to leave their young, irascible, yet endearing friend behind when they leave for the ark. So the two smuggle him aboard in a suitcase. The high jinx are wonderfully illustrated by [[Jörg Mühle]]. Discerning middle readers might pick up on more difficult questions, such as Why would God choose to punish even animals with the deluge? Why does the young penguin commit an evil act? Why is he forgiven? Can even God make mistakes? And there is an even subtler layer. The author has chosen to make the two penguins chosen to be saved on the ark male. Only through a careful watch of pronouns is this obvious. And when the two penguins disembark, there are indeed three of them, although through adoption not procreation. So whether the book is enjoyed as a witty children's story, a religious thought-provoker for middle readers, or a social commentary, I would recommend zipping through it for it's unique take on an old story.

Note: I read an uncorrected proof.… (más)