Description

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Whish! Whoosh! When the river rises, Turtle-Turtle needs his friends’ help reaching higher ground in this epic, but ultimately reassuring, ode to friendship and resilience.

The rain pelted down, down, down
And the wide, wide river rose up, up, up
All around, all around.

When a storm strikes, most of the animals know what to do: Skiddaddle! But Turtle-Turtle doesn’t realize he should swim away . . . until the water rises. Although he’s scared to weather it on his own, he learns that he doesn’t have to. Comforting companions Heron and Frog help Turtle-Turtle until—bit-by-bit, friend-by-friend—he finds the strength within himself to push onwards to safer shores.

Rich with rhythm and read-aloud potential, Turtle-Turtle and the Wide, Wide River is a perfect bedtime book that masterfully melds an epic adventure with a reassuring ending. Drawing on their years of shared experience teaching and creating picture books, Jane & Will Hillenbrand offer readers a celebration of friendship and a gentle reminder that, even when you’re stuck on the stormiest seas, your loved ones will help you to stay afloat.

About the Author

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Jane Hillenbrand is an elementary school teacher. What a Treasure! was her first picture book. Publishers Weekly called it a "warm look at appreciating the small, often unexpected, joys in one's life." She lives in Ohio with her husband, Will Hillenbrand.

Will Hillenbrand has written and illustrated a wide range of picture books for children, including the popular Bear and Mole books and the Mighty Reader series. Spring Is Here won the Please Touch Museum Book Award. What a Treasure! a Pennsylvania One Book, was written with his spouse Jane Hillenbrand.

Praise For…

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"A boisterously fun read-aloud. The illustrations have a tactile quality that will make readers feel they, too, are in the storm and underwater in this fun, exciting friendship story."—Booklist

"The authors’ use of alliteration, onomatopoeia, and internal and end-of-line rhymes makes this story flow effortlessly and dramatically when read aloud."—Kirkus Reviews

"The crisp text with its repetition and onomatopoeia pairs well with the colorful digital art full of pattern and movement, making this a rewarding and exciting adventure for even very young listeners."—The Horn Book

"[A] sweet, simple, and wise take on the value of friendship and self-discovery. . . Deft use of repetition and onomatopoeia make this a lively readaloud, while kinetic digital images of the roiling river and ominous skies evoke a just-right dose of suspense (and relief) among the cast of bright-eyed critters."—Publishers Weekly