Where do sheep go to get their wool cut? The baa-baashop. And if time was of the essence then Jack Howe was the man that the ewes and rams would be queuing up to see. With hands the size of tennis racquets, legs like tree trunks and wrists as strong as steel, Jack Howe was a giant of a man. Light on his feet, Jack could dance an excellent Irish jig but what he was really good at was sheep shearing. Lightning fast, precise and graceful, Jack could shear with the best of them. When a competition to crown the world’s greatest shearer was announced, could Jack clip, snip and shave his way into the history books and take the gold medal… There’s something captivating about sheep shearing. The sheer amount of wool that is removed from a single sheep never ceases to amaze me and the speed that some of the shearers operate at is mind-blowing. A quick google reveals that on average a professional shearer gets through two-hundred sheep a day. Over a hundred years ago a fella named Jack Howe would have sniffed at such a measly number as this ram-bunctious story reveals. As a farm child, Neridah McMullin is the perfect person to share Jack Howe’s wooly story and epic achievement, a record that still stands today, with a young audience. I’m not pulling the wool over anyone’s eyes when I say that Shearer is a baa-rilliant historical non-fiction picture book that is sure to intrigue and will capture the imagination of any aspiring farm-hands. Whisking readers back to the 1800’s and to a time when sheep shearing was done pre mechanised tools, it lovingly pays homage to the greatest sheep shearer of them all and brings to life a lesser-known piece of Aussie history. In a cracking tale of doing what you love and doing it better than anyone else, children will discover a different era of Australia and learn a little about the art of sheep shearing and what life was like in the wool shed. I love reading and learning about little known historical events and Neridah and Michael have done a wonderful job in bringing Jack's story to the pages. Factual information has been turned into a lively and engaging story that bounces along as quickly as Jack can shear a sheep and the illustrations, done in earthy colours, evoke time and place and brilliantly depict Jack’s giant frame, his charisma and larger than life personality.
Excellent back-matter adds further interest with a fact-filled commentary on Jack’s life, the sheep shearing industry and the changes with advancements in technology, and how the famous Aussie Bonds singlet can be traced back to Jack and his mum. A photo of the legend in a suit and top hat is a lovely inclusion and a glossary of key terms aids understanding. I won’t be sheepish about recommending this historical retelling, it is a wonderfully fun way to learn about a moment in Australian history. Grab yourself a copy, ewe would be mad to miss out! Recommended for 4+. With huge thanks to Walker for the copy I received in exchange for an honest review
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