The most recommended sheep books

This beautiful nonfiction book is a chronicle of four seasons spent following the desert bighorn sheep who live throughout the Southwest.

Even if you’re thinking, “Hmm, I’m really not that interested in sheep,” this book transcends its subject, weaving together science, imaginative observation, and personal reflection. She probes deeper, contemplating how humans connect with the more wild creatures on the animal spectrum.

The late Ellen Meloy was a lyrical writer, and all of her books are worth a read, but I especially love this book. Here’s a quote to give you a taste of her writing: “Each time I look into the eye of an animal...I find myself staring into a mirror of my own imagination.” 

This is one of my all-time favorite books.

Why?

First, I love sheep. I don’t know why. Maybe it’s because I identify with all of Jesus’ examples about those simple creatures.

And I get that I need as much of God's help as they do.

Second, I love the way Keller applies the gospel to his life as (a shepherd) in helpful and practical ways that help readers more fully understand what Jesus meant by what He said.

Just talking about this book makes me want to go back and read it again.

If you’re a dog person, Keller also wrote a similar book called Lessons from a Sheep Dog. That’s a good one, too! (Please don't tell my sheep dog I recommended the sheep book over of the dog book. ☺️)

I adore anything Australian crime noir. Throw in the Outback as well, and I’m there! 

This book is a compelling mystery. Slow burn and character-driven, it sucked me in and had me imagining the characters even whilst I wasn’t reading. An award-winning debut, I’ll definitely be adding this author’s future work to my TBR piles. 

If you’re looking for a balanced and warm-hearted ‘cradle to grave’ survey of women’s lives in the past, I think this is the best.

The authors describe the experiences shared by all women, and explain the huge gulf in other areas of life between the worlds of rich and poor. As well as the obvious themes of childhood, courtship, marriage, parenting, and old age, they explore women’s work (both paid and unpaid), their friendships and cultural lives, and their involvement with politics and religion.

And I love the fifty well-chosen illustrations that bring each of these topics to life.

This is Niven’s first non-fiction book, a memoir that revolves around the memory and suicide of his brother.

As Niven succeeds in life, going from university to a touring band and onto a lucrative position in the music industry, his black sheep brother dabbles in drug dealing and petty crime, and ends up chronically broke and depressed.

There’s lots of music running through this coming-of-age tale, from punk and indie to rave, but when the party ends the hangover is harsh. It’s a poignant tale of the quiet epidemic of male suicide, and the final chapter written in his brother’s voice as he takes his own life is as compelling as it is disturbing.

New Zealand is known for its sheep—there are five times more sheep than people!

In this book, popular author and illustrator Donovan Bixley takes four classic nursery rhymes about sheep and gives them a thoroughly modern treatment, full of energy and humor.

A (baa-baa) black sheep sees its wool knitted into an All Blacks rugby jersey, and Mary takes her little lamb on a dirt bike and to school, in uniform. From the farm to the dairy to the beach, these clever, boisterous illustrations celebrate the Aotearoa I’ve come to know and love with true Kiwi ingenuity.

This story begins with a familiar premise – a wolf disguises himself in sheep’s clothing in order to get close to his woolly neighbors, and hopefully, eventually, maybe eat them. What makes this story so funny is the sheep know all along their new friend is a wolf, but they fully accept him into their community anyway. This simple act of friendship makes all the difference. I love books that make me laugh and share powerful truths about the world. This story does exactly that. You will giggle your way through this stilly book, and you’ll leave with the understanding that sometimes love and friendship are all you need to change a heart and a life. Added bonus: the ending is perfect!

Having watched shepherdess Emma Gray on the BBC, I was so taken by her farming passion and charismatic personality that I was keen to read her memoirs.

One Girl and Her Dogs is the first of two installments and it’s a wonderful mix of wit, grit, and refreshing honesty. Whilst reading it I was totally immersed in her world and found myself in awe of her gumption and determination to make the best out of whatever her farm, her animals, and Mother Nature decided to throw at her.

When casting characters for my own murder series, I decided to lend Jude, my female farmer, Emma’s surname to try and channel some of her tenacity and drive.

In the era of Bridgerton and in the wake of 2005’s Pride and Prejudice film, my heart has been swallowed whole by regency era period pieces.

This novel has the best banter I have ever read. The female lead, Abigail, considers herself a spinster (in her *gasp* late twenties) and thus past the age of romance. She resigns herself to caring for her very high-maintenance relatives. Until she meets Mr. Calverleigh.

She is so determined to loathe him, but can’t help but be charmed by his conversation. I loved watching this independent woman learn to put herself first and reluctantly fall in love with the last person she expected.

Where else can we find 159 sheep and 49 lambs sketched by a celebrated modern sculptor? This flock is a treatise of graphic easiness and uncompromising observation exercises. A must-see for anyone armed with a ballpoint pen and a rural disposition. There are also texts by Moore himself and Kenneth Clark, the art historian dethroned by Berger as the great British Broadcasting cultural oracle. Although Clark suggests that Moore’s drawings show some love for the sheep, the latter’s text is a love letter to drawing, simply.