The Sheep, the Rooster, and the Duck (Publishers Weekly Best Books 2022)

A sly villain with a plan to cause havoc across the globe is no match for three animal spies—and their two young human friends. The New York Times said that The Sheep, the Rooster, and the Duck “will be hard for young readers to put down.” From acclaimed author and artist Matt Phelan, The Sheep, the Rooster, and the Duck is a hilarious, action-packed, and highly illustrated middle grade adventure perfect for reluctant readers and fans of Skunk and Badger and Flora & Ulysses.

The very first passengers to ride in a hot air balloon were a sheep, a rooster, and a duck in 1783. And while hot air balloons are indeed wondrous, ten-year-old Emile is too busy being the fastidious caretaker of ambassador Benjamin Franklin’s château in Paris to think much about them. But forces both good and nefarious are after the wonderful—and sometimes dangerous—inventions in Franklin’s notebook.

Soon, young Emile finds himself right in the middle of a sinister plot. And right in the middle of the secret headquarters for France’s undercover superheroes—the same sheep, rooster, and duck that piloted the first hot air balloon. If Emile can muster his courage and be bold, he may be the key to helping the heroes save both Benjamin Franklin and the world.

Award-winning author Matt Phelan’s The Sheep, the Rooster, and the Duck is a highly illustrated adventure full of secrets, hijinks, and reimagined historical events. With short chapters, six comics sequences, and more than fifty spot or full-page black-and-white illustrations, this rip-roaring and surprising story is ideal for reluctant readers, aspiring heroes, and fans of Peter Brown’s The Wild Robot.

Includes an author’s note about the inspiration for the story and the real historical figures featured.

Matt Phelan is the creator of the graphic novels The Storm in the Barn (winner of a Scott O’Dell Award); Around the World; Bluffton; and the New York Times bestseller Snow White. He has been nominated for five Will Eisner Awards, including Best Writer/Artist and Best Graphic Album (for Bluffton). He is the author and illustrator of the picture books Pignic, Turtle Walk, Sweater Weather, and Druthers, and has illustrated many books for young readers, including Flora’s Very Windy Day, by Jeanne Birdsall; Marilyn’s Monster, by Michelle Knudsen; and The Higher Power of Lucky, winner of a Newbery Medal, by Susan Patron. He is also the author of Knights vs. Dinosaurs; Knights vs. Monsters; Knights vs. the End (of Everything); The Sheep, the Rooster, and the Duck; and Leave It to Plum! Matt Phelan lives in Ardmore, Pennsylvania.