Sammy and His Shepherd is a delightful children’s story illustrating the truths of Psalm 23. Outlined in sections by the phrases of Psalm 23, this book is a story of “Sammy” the sheep, owned and cared for by a loving Shepherd, who meets a sad and neglected sheep on the other pasture. Sammy notices the differences in their care, and as he befriends this lost sheep, he teaches her about the loving care he receives. One day, the lost sheep is in danger of losing her life, and Sammy’s Shepherd does something wonderful for her. As the story unfolds, both sheep learn about trust and following the kind Shepherd.
Susan Hunt does a fabulous job weaving in to the story both theological truths as well as facts about sheep—facts that enable children and adults alike to better understand the love and care of a shepherd, and more importantly, the Great Shepherd, Jesus Christ. For example, the story tells of a sheep who falls, with legs flailing helplessly in the air, and how the Shepherd comes to lift her up, rub her legs to restore circulation and help her walk again, thus “restoring” her. (“He restores my soul”). Sammy and His Shepherd illustrates not only of the love and tender care of Christ for His sheep, but also wonderfully pictures the themes of redemption, salvation, brotherly love, and eternity.
I absolutely love how at the end of each section illustrating a phrase of Psalm 23, Susan Hunt includes a “talking point” page or two at the end of the story. These talking points include “what the Bible tells us” (added thoughts and Bible references), “something to talk about” (questions for discussion with your children), and “something to do” (ways to put truth into practice).
The only element I was not crazy about was the color of the illustrations. They were child-friendly and unique, but the limited color scheme (lots of purple and pink tones) seemed more foreboding that comforting. However, I have only seen a PDF version of this book, so it may look different in the actual book. I can't wait to see!
Sammy and His Shepherd gets a five-star rating from me! I would definitely recommend hopping over to amazon.com and purchasing a copy for your child or as a gift! It can be profitable for so many ages and grade levels, and would be a great book to read as a family, too.
*Statement to comply with Federal Trade Commission guidelines: I am receiving a copy of Sammy and His Shepherd for free, from Reformation Trust/Ligonier Ministries, as compensation for my review.
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