Storytime Sunday

"The Tale of a Turtle Who Learned a Good Lesson"

ByWilliam K. Zimmer

Illustrated by Judith A. Zimmer-Baker

  This week's Storytime Sunday is about "The Tale of a Turtle Who Learned a Good Lesson" by William K. Zimmer.  Tobias is a box turtle who lives under a fallen tree in a meadow near a pond.   Tobias starts out as a very grumpy turtle who complained a lot about his shell.  He would see the lizards running all about and felt very jealous of them and how they could move so quickly and gracefully. 

Tobias didn't really talk to anyone but the one day when he returns to the fallen tree he meets a toad named Lumpy.  Lumpy tries to explain to Toby, short for Tobias, that the lizards are fast but they don't seem very friendly.  Soon Toby and Lumpy are the best of friends.  Toby even ends up saving Lumpy's life from a snake by using his shell to protect him.  But Toby still doesn't see the value of having his shell.

One day, when Toby was going for his usual walk to the berry patch he happens upon an evil vulture who tells Toby that there is a magical place he can go to loose his shell.  The vulture tells him to travel to this magical place and that he will meet him there in three days.  Well the magical place ends up being the highway and we all know what vultures like to eat. 

Luckily for Toby, Lumpy found out where he was going and the story ends up having a happy ending.  Toby also ends up having a dream about his shell coming off and the snake being able to eat him.  He then realizes how scary it would be to not have his shell. 

This is a great story to let people understand to accept themselves just the way they are.  I love how the author totally immerses you into the surroundings in the beginning with all the details about the pond, the brook, and the meadow where Tobias lives.  The pictures are also very beautiful though my seven year old and I both agree that more pictures would be better as this is a pretty long story and he was losing interest between pages. 

The author had me a little worried at the part where Tobias has the dream about losing his shell.  See I didn't realize it was just a dream and thought that the author believed a turtle could come out of his shell like that.  I almost shut the book and didn't read the rest but figured I better keep reading.  I was relieved when I understood what the author had done there. 

 

So to sum up, great story, great lesson for everyone, great pictures.  We would have liked to see more pictures. 

"The Tale of a Turtle Who Learned a Good Lesson" is published by Dorrance Publishing Co, Inc.  and can be purchased by going here.

Disclaimer:  I received this book for free from Dorrance Publishing Co. Inc. in exchange for my review but all opinions remain my own.