The Haymeadow

By: Gary Paulsen

Narrated by: Richard Thomas

Fourteen-year-old John Barron is asked, like his father and grandfather before him, to spend the summer taking care of their sheep in the haymeadow. Six thousand sheep. John will be alone, except for two horses, four dogs, and all those sheep.



John doesn't feel up to the task, but he hopes that if he can accomplish it, he will finally please his father. But John finds that the adage "things just to sheep" is true when the river floods, coyotes attack, and one dog's feet get cut. Through it all he must rely on his own resourcefulness, ingenuity, and talents to survive this summer in the haymeadow.

Critic reviews

"...another fine adventure from Paulsen, who deftly blends an action-packed plot and a likable character..."-Booklist

"The action is nonstop...will have readers plunging over each cliffhanger into the next crisis until they finish the book." --The Bulletin, Recommended

Love the story.

To much music! I enjoyed the story, great story.
Love the narrator but the music was a bit much for me.

keep a horse to hand

long time favorite. always loved this book from an early age . never seems to get old.

This is a calming disaster.

The reader matched the character I think very well. The story line felt like it was very possible. There was lack and pain. There was solving and calm , beauty and excitement.

Love the story. Hate the music.

This book is one of my favorites. The background music was terrible. You can barley hear the narrator reading. Please take the music out of the story!!

I loved this book

I loved this book and it was insane how John did all of that stuff and still survived