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Everyone knows the story of Chris the Merino sheep – the world’s woolliest sheep found near Canberra, who made international headlines with his astounding tale.
His fleece was recognised by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s ‘heaviest sheep fleece’, breaking records previously set in New Zealand by 12.2 kilograms.
Now his story is accessible for kids!
The National Museum of Australia has released its new book A Woolly Tale by author Jackie Hosking, which narrates his adventures.
“I was invited in mid-2022 by the senior editor at the National Museum to pitch on the project of writing the third book in their new series of five picture books. This I felt, was such an honour and I jumped at the chance to come up with a fun and entertaining story.”
The story follows Chris’s adventure after he flees his farm, nervous about his first shearing. At first, Chris enjoys his new life among the gum trees, but as the years go by, his fleece grows heavier and heavier. The height of the story is when Chris encounters a dingo who tries to eat him…
While the story is fictional, Hosking says she wanted to make the narrative as believable as possible.
“Originally, I thought I might have him do something out of this world, like travelling to space but then opted for a more plausible story. I researched merino sheep and learned that they do not shed their wool and that they are foragers and eat a variety of plants, not just grass,” Hosking said.
“We could show the passing of time via the seasons along with a larger and larger fleece.”
Chris in all of his woolly glory!
As the time passes, Chris slowly finds his confidence.
“While I try to avoid writing stories that are didactic, I hope that children might see Chris as a courageous sheep, nervous at first but strong and determined in the end.”
“I felt he was a sweet, kind, and timid sheep and also a very trusting sheep.”
Chris is brought to life on the page from illustrations by Paul Lalo who wanted to make readers feel like they could reach out and touch the fleece.
While Hosking didn’t have much direct contact with Lalo, she says the final product is true to her vision.
“I absolutely love what Paul’s done. Chris is exactly how I pictured him in my head.”
Hosking got to share her book during a story time at the Tim and Gina Fairfax Discovery Centre last month, where she was met with a full crowd.
“The event was booked out and the children were very engaged with the story with lots of questions at the end.”
Chris’s iconic wool is currently on display at the museum and has been enchanting visitors since his 41.1-kilogram fleece was acquired by the museum in 2016.
“This story, while based on fact is a reimagining as to what Chris got up to during his time away,” Hosking says.
“It mustn’t be seen as a non-fiction book but rather a fun twist on an amazing tale of survival.”
The book is the third in a series of books produced by the museum and inspired by the stories in its Tim and Gina Fairfax Discovery Centre.
Learn more about Chris the sheep here and check out A Woolly Tale here!
Images supplied.
This post was originally published on here
