A Home for Little Turtle

A little turtle feels uncomfortable with her big, ugly shell, envying the freedom of her friends, until a sympathetic snail points out the advantages of having a portable home and teaches her a lesson in self-acceptance.

PreSchool-- A simple lesson in self-esteem. Unhappy with her shell "home," turtle is envious of a young fox, a family of doves, a mole, and a field mouse. She is finally set straight by an optimistic snail that prefers the benefits of travel in its mobile home to a permanent place of residence. Endowed with the human attributes of speech, dissatisfaction, envy, and pride, Little Turtle exhibits none of the interesting features of her own breed that might add appeal to this dull, redundant attempt at picture-book fiction. Cute colored-pencil drawings are a perfect accompaniment to the text. Several mundane facts about turtles are appended to this patronizing story. --Susan Scheps, Shaker Heights Public Library, OH
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

With a no-frills presentation and childlike humanization of animals, this quartet offers unassuming, cozy stories with familiar themes and plots. Speaking more to the human than the beastly condition, all four tales celebrate an appreciation of differences: a bear cub and wolf pup stumble into unexpected friendship; a hungry, orphaned duckling discovers the diverse diets of other animals; a homeless turtle learns to esteem his humble shell; an ambitious beaver enthralls a family of red squirrels with his foreign behavior. Although playful, the stories miss their potential for humor and rely on unimaginative dialogue. However, the variety of characters and illustrations in A Home for Little Turtle and The Hungry Duckling generate stories worth their price. A brief supplement of animal facts concludes each book with intriguing tidbits--beavers can stay under water for 15 minutes, a newborn bear cub is small enough to fit in your hand, a turtle's shell is as distinctive as a human's thumbprint. Ages 3-7.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.