Reviews for Tinka Rainy Dohaney rainy@rainydohaney.com from the critics: School Library Journal PreS-Gr 2-Tinka, "the size of a cupcake," lives with four normal-sized sheep on a farm. Different from her peers (she grows only enough fleece to produce a sweater for a hamster), she is shunned. However, she does have one friend, Sooty, a round-bodied crow. Every year, the sheep celebrate when they see what appears to be a large purple spider spreading across a faraway hillside, because they know that it heralds the coming of spring. They dream of visiting this magical place, but can't get past the fence. With Sooty's aid, Tinka flies through the air, views the beautiful landscape below, and solves the mystery of the spider, which turns out to be a cluster of purple flowers. Shimmering in warm pastel shades, Dohaney's watercolor and colored-pencil artwork excels in its comic depictions of the two friends. In one scene, Sooty struggles to eat a worm and eventually ends up wearing it as a turban. Tiny details, like a column of ants toting a piece of macaroni and a cereal bit, encourage multiple readings. This tale of individuality and friendship makes a sweet choice for spring storytimes or lap readings.-Gay Lynn Van Vleck, Henrico County Library, Glen Allen, VA Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information. Booklist Tinka, 2003 40p. Simon & Schuster/Anne Schwartz - PreS-Gr.1 Tinka is the smallest sheep anyone has ever seen - the size of a cupcake, to be precise. Needless to say, her diminutive size presents some distinct disadvantages: she produces only enough wool for a hamster sweater, she cold easily be squished by the other sheep, and she isn't even tall enough to see the large purple spider that appears on a distant hilltop each spring. Tinka's forlorn tale turns, however, when her friend Sooty the crow flies her to see the purple spider up close. As it turns out, the spider is actually an oddly shaped patch of thousands of tiny purple flowers. Tiny Tinka triumphantly returns to the farm with her important news, and she realizes for the first time that not just being one of the sheep has its advantages. Readers could spend hours discovering the many comical details in Dohaney's soft-edged, watercolor and colored pencil illustrations. Reminiscent of Peter Sis's work, the illustrations give cuddly warmth to a familiar message. - Karin Snelson from the readers: A reviewer, A reviewer, June 3, 2003, Fell in love with Tinka Tinka, the sheep the size of a cupcake, won *this* reader's heart. Tinka is a touching story about a cute little sheep who struggles with being different, but in the end finds out just how special she is. The book is delightful; i'm betting kids will savor the re-reads, finding new details in the exquisite, soft-colored pencil drawings each time. I especially loved the image of Tinka and Sooty laying back in the flowers, giggling, not a care in the world. There is joy and delight on every page of this book. It is a true gem, beginning to end. Jamie S. Rich May 18, 2003 This is that rare and special kind of children's book that doesn't play to any particular age or audience, instead choosing to exist in a world where every breathing soul can enjoy its simple message and its fun delivery. Dohaney's theme isn't new. Her young lamb Tinka follows her dreams, finding the courage to accept her own individuality and seeing life beyond the confines of the tiny farm where her family lives. What's special is that the discovery of this courage does not come at the expense of that family unit--in fact, it enhances Tinka's place amongst the herd (and not in some scary conformist way, either, but in a warm and fuzzy good way). Adding further to the specialness of the book is Dohaney's unique vision. Tinka's world is not a conventional one. It's filled with oddball characters and a vivid imagination that allows a field of flowers to be seen as a giant spider by those unwilling to look beyond their fenced-in pens. The illustrations have a loving depth of detail, with small touches like ever-present insects used to add an extra dimension to Tinka's farm, bringing it all to life. Dohaney's soft colors are gorgeous, too, and you'll want to spend a good amount of time looking at them even after you're done reading the words. All in all, a special debut. I plan to buy a couple of copies and give them to friends who have some children on the way, so that they can share the delight I've found in TINKA. Comic Book Galaxy Tinka by Rainy Dohaney Atheneum Books "...Tinka, the sheep the size of a cupcake, is overshadowed by the four other, larger sheep on Farmer McEwen's farm. Tinka is sad because she's too small to see the giant purple spider that comes as a herald of spring every year, and the larger sheep mock her for being small and unable to see the spider. Tinka's only friend, Sooty the Crow (I love that name, by the way, the best-named crow since Drinky) gives Tinka a ride on his back (she is only the size of a cupcake, remember) and they fly off above the farm and over toward the mysterious spider. What Tinka learns when she gets close to the "giant purple spider" is a nice lesson in questioning authority and gaining perspective, giving Tinka a new confidence to be happy with herself as she is, so small she can fit under a door. I'm quite sure the lessons here are deliberate, if subtle, and there's never been a better time in history to teach your children not to believe everything they're told by those claiming "authority." It's always better to go out and find the truth for yourself, and Tinka does just that. The story, created in watercolour and coloured pencils, is told in lovely, subdued shades. The cover is strikingly and appealingly bright, but Dohaney uses a more subtle palette inside. Her technique draws the reader into Tinka's world even as it sets the tone for it, and when the revelations come about the purple spider, Tinka's world is filled with strange new colour, symbolizing the new enlightenment she has received. ...Probably the most artistically impressive image is the double-page spread of Tinka and Sooty flying high above the farm; the first hint that she is getting a new view of the world, the picture is dizzying in its detail. It shows a close-up Tinka and Sooty looking down on the farm, and the other sheep are tiny -- they look much tinier than a cupcake. A lot is said in Tinka without words. Grade: 5/5 -- Alan David Doane