Learning to do something new can be fun and quite frustrating! We’ve all been there – taking the leap to start a new hobby or sport or anything new can bring on the shakes, the sweats and even the tears. In this story, Ewe (Sounds like “you”) discovers that it takes persistence, patience and lots of practice to succeed. Oh, and don’t forget about friends - wait till you see how they help to make Ewe’s dreams come true!
As is the case with all of my other books, friendship is a theme that weaves its way from beginning to end. Life is just so much more fun and much easier when you have friends to walk beside you. This is the first book I’ve written that was inspired without a single real event from my life! I just thought it would be fun to create a crew of barnyard animals, give them sweet personalities and a problem to work through.
The rhyming text keeps a rhythm alive throughout the story that encourages young readers to “read along”. Even the youngest readers (watch the video clip) are finding joy in the finishing the sentences!
I had hopes of ordering tons of Ewe dolls to offer as part of a book purchase, but they were a bit pricey, to say the least … that’s the reason why I only have five of them! The company did do a beautiful job making the dolls, though. I simply sent in a drawing of Ewe and they did the rest. A.D.O.R.A.B.L.E!
An added bonus to creating this story was it gave Janell York an opportunity to illustrate her first children’s book; it’s so fun to be part of someone else’s dream!
Meet the Illustrator
Janell York grew up in rural upstate New York. She attended Daemen College in Buffalo, NY, earning her degree in Illustration, with a specialization in Drawing. Currently, Janell resides in Mesa, Arizona with her husband and two daughters. These desert dwellers spend most of their time running, hiking, biking, laughing, and road-tripping around the state. She also loves weaving and drawing botanicals and scenes inspired by the nature she encounters.
Janell was a full time K-12 art teacher with a passion for children’s books. In 2019, she led her students through the illustration process for Sandy Barton’s Song of the Earth - a first for the students and a first cover design for Janell. Ewe Did It! is Janell’s first solo illustrated children’s book. For more information on Janell York Illustrations and her playful watercolor and ink work, check out janellyorkart.com or follow @janellyorkillustrations on Instagram.
Reader Reviews
This is a wonderfully inspirational story with beautifully hand drawn and painted illustrations. Even as an adult, you will find yourself wrapped up in the story which hearkens of a time when we were all youthful and full of dreams. The paintings transport you into this truly sweet and hopeful saga of a young lamb who just wants to dance.
I purchased this book for my grandkids, and they love it! Ewe learns to keep trying even when it seems she'll never get it. The illustrations are precious, and the picture details are perfect for helping kids understand the story. My grandkids give it 2 thumbs up, and so do I!