Jonathan Toomey is the best woodworker in the valley, but he is always grumpy and frowning. He rarely smiles and never laughs. No one knows that a lace handkerchief, a white baby blanket, and a charcoal sketch of a woman holding a newborn are languishing in a drawer that Jonathan Toomey no longer opens. One winter's day, widow McDowell and her son, Thomas, knock on his door with a request that only he can fulfill. After a while, Thomas gathers his courage and whispers, "Mr. Toomey, may I ask you something?" The woodworker looks down at Thomas, sighs, and mumbles. Thomas thinks this means "yes" and continues, "Is it the little sheep you are cutting now, sir?" The woodworker shakes his head and mumbles again. After a little longer, Thomas whispers, "Mr. Toomey, forgive me, but you are not cutting my little sheep correctly. The sound of widow McDowell's knitting needles stops. Jonathan Toomey's axe stops swinging. But Thomas keeps talking, "It's a very beautiful, cute, and well-made little sheep, but you could see that mine was happy." "Nonsense," retorts Mr. Toomey. "A little sheep is a little sheep. Little sheep can't look happy." "But mine did," Thomas counters. "They knew they were with baby Jesus, and that made them happy."

Illustrated by: P.J. Lynch

Age Group: 3-9 years

Size: 28 x 26 cm / hardcover / 40 pages

ISBN: 9786068544991

Year of Publication: 2018

Translated by: Florin Bican