Christopher Russell was a postman when he had his first radio play broadcast in 1975. He has since been a full-time television and radio script writer, and, recently a children's novelist. While his wife, Christine, has always been closely involved with his work, this is the first book they've written together.
"In a series launch, this husband-and-wife team sends a quirky
group of characters careening across England at a madcap pace. When
a mobile phone falls from the sky and onto a field, five rare-breed
sheep with distinct personalities (and a love for rap music) are
convinced that it is the magical Baaton of ancient ovine prophecy,
and that they must return the item to its rightful owner, Lord
Aries. Dropped from a hot air balloon by two bumbling bank
employees who have scammed customers out of their savings, the
phone actually contains evidence of the crime. One of their victims
is the feisty owner of the sheep, who (with her grandson in tow)
pursues her missing animals, as do the bankers, who are intent on
retrieving the phone. While the sheep's final goal feels tenuous,
it's all about the journey: barnyard puns (including a llama lama
who speaks in parables) and the running conceit of the herd's
unusual intelligence, despite their share of woolly-headed moments,
will go a long way in keeping middle-grade readers engaged. Ages
9-12. (Feb.) " - Publishers Weekly
"It's quite an adventure. We finished reading it this morning, and
both Bubs and Welly have separately already asked me to start
reading it again." - Homespun Light
"My first one that may go in the bag is The Quest of the Warrior
Sheep. This is a fun lil farce in juvenile fiction. Following just
what Sal the sheep does when he was bonked on the head by an UFO.
Rushing to the others they decide that it is a sign that Lord Aries
is in trouble. The sheep posse takes off to save him while having
to battle the bank robbers who are looking for their UFO (actually
a cell phone). I can't wait to get the next book, The Warrior Sheep
go West. I am sure that it will be just as fun." - Crazed Mind
"OH MY GRASS! Christopher Russell has written a sheepishly funny
caper of adventurous and superstitious rare sheep, alien sightings,
a cell phone bank heist and a little romance between a city girl
and a common farm boy. There are also some very "baaad" characters
that learn not to mess with sheep on a quest!
Highly recommended for a fun read that will make "Ewe" smile." -
Spot to Read
"The Quest of the Warrior Sheep by Christine and Christopher
Russell will have you laughing out loud as you follow the
adventures of five sheep and their human pursuers. One is sure they
have been abducted and altered by aliens, two want to retrieve the
cell phone and destroy incriminating evidence it holds, and Tod and
Gran just want to get their sheep back. These sheep have quite a
few adventures, all resulting from hilarious misunderstandings by
both ovines and humans. As the quest continued, I didn't see how
the story could possibly be resolved, but the authors serve up a
satisfying ending for all...well, almost. You'll have to read it to
see. This is the first in what promises to be a delightful series
aimed at readers aged eight to 12. I highly recommend it." - Mother
Daughter Book Club
"The five rare-breed sheep of dear old Ida White's Eppingham farm
are having a good cud chew one afternoon when something strange
falls from the heavens and clocks Sal, an officious but
well-meaning ewe, on the noggin. She's sure it's the Baaton of
Aries, Ram of Rams; it must be returned to him in the North Country
before Lambad the Bad gets hold of it. Off they hoof, following the
prophecy in the Song of Fleece. Hot on their tails is geeky human
Luke, who needs the Baaton-er, cell phone-or the bank funds he
illegally shifted on a dare will be discovered. He's closely
followed by local UFO-nut Tony, who's sure the sheep have been
abducted and modified by aliens, and Ida and her grandson who just
want their beloved ovine friends home safe. The first adventure
(with another on the way) of the Warrior Sheep by the British
husband-and-wife pair is planted firmly in Wallace and Gromit
country. Young fans of deadpan Brit humor will enjoy this fleecy
romp... (Animal fantasy. 8-12) " - Kirkus
"The rapid pacing of The Quest of the Warrior Sheep, snappy
dialogue, and outrageously funny British humor made this a hit with
my students... I thoroughly enjoyed The Quest of the Warrior Sheep
and read it in one sitting... The action kept moving the story
along and this reader was willing to suspend disbelief to simply
enjoy this adventure. I read parts of The Quest of the Warrior
Sheep aloud and every time was requested to read more. I cannot
wait until you put this title in your hands and meet these awesome
Warrior Sheep - Oxo, Links, Jaycey, Wills, and Sal." - SLJ blog
Practically Paradise
"The Warrior Sheep are brave and resourceful even if they are a
little misguided. The Quest of the Warrior Sheep has all
ingredients of a good tale: humor, like-able protagonists,
unlikeable villains, danger, and mystery. " - Overstuffed
Bookbag
"This book will have you laughing your belly off! You are able to
have a blast following the adventures of the five sheep and the
humans that are trying to catch them. With a plot that incorporates
things such as concepts like being abducted by aliens, destroying
incriminating evidence or simply going home, this story has a
little bit of everything for any reader! What was most funny in
this story was the number of misunderstandings that bring forth a
ton of hilarious adventures. As you read on, I know that I simply
wanted to see how the author would conclude all of the differing
storylines, but amazingly they did, and I can say that I was
satisfied with how things came together and I am sure you will be
as well. My daughters also enjoyed the book and they too wanted to
see how the story would end. While they did not understand
everything they still laughed and loved reading about the sheep.
They even asked whether there were other stories about the sheep."
- Dad of Divas' Reviews
"This is a story five rare sheep who have ram cell phone, and
trying to return it to Aries. This cell phone is important because
it information about a robbery of millions of dollars. These sheep
are named Sal, Oxo, Links, Wills, Jaycey and its their tale into
the city and mountain side. We do get to see some human interaction
with the sheep. I loved the tongue in cheek with Hotel name. Best
Line: Ohmygrass Cute story for kids and loved all the action of
sheep trying to follow the Songs of the Fleece." - My 5 Monkeys
"This is it!! Hilarious, original, and first in a series! The Quest
of the Warrior Sheep by Christine and Christopher Russell is sure
to be a hit for all those younger readers looking for a new series
to enjoy! It is the adventure of 5 sheep - and boy do they ever
have adventures! There is not a dull moment with these guys! They
are laugh-out-loud funny and another series that has strong
boy-appeal, which is a bonus as well. I am excited to see more in
this series - they are sure to please!" - In the Pages
"We had a chance to review The Quest of the Warrior Sheep by
Christine & Christopher Russell. The 5 rare breed sheep have quite
a few adventures after one of them is hit on the head by a cell
phone. Thinking it was a sign from their great Lord Aries, the
sheep travel north to return the "Baaton" as they call it, to the
rightful owner. With two bank robbers in pursuit who want the
incriminating evidence back, a farmer who believes the sheep were
abducted by aliens, and Tod & Ida who just want their sheep home,
the sheep outwit them all in their quest north. This book is sure
to keep you laughing. The Quest of the Warrior Sheep My now
7-year-old loved the book. Although I found she had a little bit of
trouble keeping the characters straight, she loved the humor in the
book and was always eager to read more. She is excited that there
is another book in the series The Warrior Sheep Go West. It looks
like we will be making a trip to the book store!" - 2 Wired 2
Tired
"Who knew a little flock of sheep could lead a duo of bungling
thieves on a merry chase around England? It helped that both of
humans have an IQ slightly lower than a sheep's. This silly story
kept me laughing as I wondered just how the sheep were going to
escape from the criminals and save the day. When a cell phone falls
from the sky and hits Sal on the head, she thinks it's a sign from
the god of sheep, Aries. She thinks that he's in danger, waging
battle against Lambad, his eternal rival. She convinces the rest of
her little flock of exotic breed sheep that they have a part to
play in an ancient prophecy, and if they don't, dire consequences
are sure to follow. So, what happens when a flock of sheep set out
to save the world? Complete chaos. What the intrepid flock doesn't
know is that the phone has been used to commit a crime, and the men
who dropped it will do anything to get it back. The sheep have
their work cut out for them, as they try to stay one step ahead of
the villains and help Aries in his fight against Lambad! From the
first "Ohmygrass!" I was hooked on The Quest of the Warrior Sheep.
From the moment our hoofed protagonists leave the comfort and
safety of their little pasture, they unleash a comedy of errors
that leads all of their pursuers on a wild goose chase. From
neighbor Tony, who is obsessed with aliens and is certain that the
sheep have been abducted by alien invaders, to Tod and Gran, who
love their sheep and just want them back home safe and sound, I was
hard pressed to decide who was smarter - the humans or the sheep.
This fun MG read keeps the excitement, and the laughs, in
overdrive. Fighting against their natural instincts to just stand
around and eat grass, the sheep muster up every ounce of bravery to
return the "Baaton" to Aries so he can defeat Lambad once and for
all. Little do they suspect that their jaunt around the countryside
will involve a train ride, thieves, a truckload of manure, and even
a secret government installation. Cute and humorous, I was
delighted to learn that the sheep are going to have another
adventure soon. Perhaps they will even be able to eat one of their
favorite treats - cauliflower." - Manga Maniac Cafe
"For readers who like car cashes, unlikely heroes, and plenty of
wildly amusing action, this book is a must. The characters are
deliciously funny, and readers will find themselves rooting for the
five sheep, who truly are heroes." - Through the Looking Glass
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