The Little Blue Ewe
Dr. O. (Taylor Overbey)
Crimson Dragon Publishing (2026)
ISBN: 978-1944644758
Reviewed by Diana Coyle for Reader Views (07/2026)
In The Little Blue Ewe by Dr. O. (Taylor Overbey), readers are introduced to a sweet little blue ewe named Bijou, who is not only blue in color, but blue because she truly misses her three lamb family members. Nothing she seems to do brings her out of her blue mood. She doesn’t want to play with the other farm animals; she isn’t interested in eating much, and all she wants to do is be by herself. Little by little, the other farm animals develop a plan to help cheer her up. They go out of their way to talk to her and be around her, so she doesn’t feel so alone anymore. Do all the farm animals’ hard work pay off? Does Bijou realize she has an extended family with the other animals?
This is a powerful story. Children will come away with compassion for Bijou not only because she missed her three other family members, but also because she was dealing with her grief all by herself. She felt she was the only one in the world carrying this grief, and in the process, she missed out when the other farm animals were trying to be supportive of her. This reviewer immediately felt that this was the perfect story for children to see that even though they may be saddened, they are not alone in what they are feeling. They can talk to someone and allow that person to help them handle their grief. After reading about Bijou, they will see that talking to others about what they are feeling allows them to better deal with whatever might be troubling them at the time.
Also worth mentioning is that this reviewer adored the fact that the author made Bijou look different than the average lamb by being colored blue. This strongly brings the message to children that looking and being different is something to be proud of and not something to shy away from. The message of being uniquely different, while still being able to blend into a crowd, such as her blending into her other farm animal family, is something that every child should be able to apply at one point or another in their own lives.
The illustrations provided were also done by Dr. O. and are provided on every page. They are full-page illustrations for the readers to stop and take in the full story in picture format. Each one perfectly complements the written text.
Dr. O. (Taylor Overbey) is an accomplished author, illustrator, artist, and educator. He has published several children’s books throughout the years. His artistic work spans various media, with an emphasis on oil paintings.
Overall, The Little Blue Ewe by Dr. O. is one children’s book that will delight readers young and old. The characters are easily relatable, the storyline is one any child can learn from, and the illustrations perfectly tell the story in picture format. This is a wonderful book for any child to read, especially if they might be grieving a loss in their life.
At a Glance: A heartfelt children’s picture book about a young ewe struggling with grief after losing close family members. Through the kindness of her farm friends, she discovers that love, support, and accepting differences can help ease loneliness. Gentle, comforting themes of grief and belonging.
Best for Readers Who Enjoy: children’s picture books, books about grief, coping with loss, social-emotional learning, kindness and empathy, friendship, farm animal stories, celebrating differences, emotional resilience, read-alouds for families