Honors:
• Children's Book Committee of Bank Street College of Education has
selected A Young Shepherd as among the Best Children's Books of the Year,
2007.
• 2007 Wisconsin Ag in the Classroom Book of the Year
• 2006 Ohio Farm Bureau Federation Children’s Literature Award Honor Book

Reviews:
Review by Colleen Mondor, www,eclectica.org: “Urbigkit is telling a very simple and straightforward story about her son in Shepherd but it's a fascinating tale for most young readers and one they would have little or no opportunity to hear without books like this. She leads readers through the seasons, showing the responsibility that Cass must exhibit in order to keep his flock safe. The lambs are beyond cute (no big surprise) but this isn't a cutsey book--it's a significant and smartly written examination of family farming from a young perspective. Because Cass is the focus of the story, readers will not think they are being written down to--this is a book about a boy, and thus it is ideal for girls and boys to read. At the end Urbigkit includes brief biographies of other young people who tend flocks of sheep. Altogether, she makes a very engaging story that will both answer questions for some young readers and prompt more for others. It's an accessible and engaging look at family farming, and beautifully designed.”

School Library Journal - May 2006
“Urbigkit does a solid job of capturing a year in the life of her son, Cass, a 12-year-old shepherd. The text, which varies from one sentence to several paragraphs per page, briefly describes the care required by the bum (orphaned) lambs with which he started his own flock on his family's ranch in Wyoming. The various stages of the animals' lives are clearly discussed, as are the preparations necessary for showing the sheep in a county fair. The author presents basic information without overwhelming readers. The vocabulary is appropriate, but not technical. The superb, full-color photos correlate wonderfully with the narrative. Some are obviously posed, but not staged, and close-ups add eye appeal. The book's spacious size leaves room for wide white margins around the words and pictures. A page with photos and descriptions of five breeds, and youngsters who have raised them, is appended. This title is an excellent example of the way it really is ‘down on the farm.’ ”

The Horn Book Magazine - May/June 2006:
“Following her photo-essay on guardian dogs (Brave Dogs, Gentle Dogs rev. 5/05), Urbigkit here describes the raising of a small flock of sheep. Growing up on a sheep ranch in Wyoming, twelve-year-old Cass decides to start his own flock by purchasing orphaned, or "bum," lambs. Keeping them separate from his parents' flock, Cass supplies his lambs with food and a safe and warm place to live. Using powdered formula, he bottle-feeds them until they are old enough to use a bucket with special rubber nipples attached at the bottom. Throughout, Cass keeps careful records of when shots are given, tails are docked, and ears are tagged. As the year passes, the lambs mature, and in May Cass is rewarded when his ewes give birth to new lambs to add to his growing flock. Urbigkit's clear text is enhanced with sharp, focused color photographs of Cass working with his lambs, the tools he uses, and the sheep at different stages of growth. A note at the end describes, with photographs and text, five breeds of sheep young people have raised for youth projects.”