Emma's Turtle

by Eve Bunting, Marsha Winborn (Illustrator)

Emma's turtle has a good life, but he often dreams of faraway places. Emma's turtle lives in a backyard pen. He enjoys snacks that Emma feeds him. He also loves to listen to Emma as she tells him about faraway places such as Africa, Australia, and China. One day he decides to stop dreaming of those places and see the world beyond his pen. What will he discover? Eve Bunting's adorable story of an adventurous turtle is delightfully illustrated by Marsha Winborn.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Storytime, Animals, Adventure, Fiction, Travel

32 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2007

About the author

Also known as Evelyn Bolton and A.E. Bunting.

Anne Evelyn Bunting, better known as Eve Bunting, is an author with more than 250 books. Her books are diverse in age groups, from picture books to chapter books, and topic, ranging from Thanksgiving to riots in Los Angeles. Eve Bunting has won several awards for her works.

Bunting went to school in Ireland and grew up with storytelling. In Ireland, “There used to be Shanachies… the shanachie was a storyteller who went from house to house telling his tales of ghosts and fairies, of old Irish heroes and battles still to be won. Maybe I’m a bit of a Shanchie myself, telling stories to anyone who will listen.” This storytelling began as an inspiration for Bunting and continues with her work.

In 1958, Bunting moved to the United States with her husband and three children. A few years later, Bunting enrolled in a community college writing course. She felt the desire to write about her heritage. Bunting has taught writing classes at UCLA. She now lives in Pasadena, California.

Reviews

[Nancy Kotkin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emma's pet turtle loves listening to Emma read about the faraway wonders of the world. One day, Turtle decides to go exploring all by himself. He digs out of his pen and treks across the yard, thinking he is visiting the other countries Emma has read to him about. Makes us think about how big our own private small world can be, and how small the whole world really is. Fun watercolor illustrations bring the text to life.

[Brandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emma's Turtle was written by Eve Bunting. This was a very cute picture book. This is a story about a turtle who travels across the world but in reality, the turtle only travels across the yard. I liked this story because it shows the perspective of someone small. I also liked this story because it shows how small we are in this big world. I would read this book in a first or second grade classroom. I liked this book for the classroom because it shows responsibility. It shows responsibility by Emma taking care of her turtle. She feeds, waters, and looks for her pet when it gets lost. I really want a pet fish in my classroom. Before I got a fish, I would read this book and after I would rotate students to feed the pet.

[Gretchen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book would be absolutely wonderful to pair with Alfie and Truman. All of them are about wonderful pet turtles that long to experience life outside of their small "home base." They are also told from the turtles' perspectives and have moments of realization that one person's perspective is not necessarily the same as another person's. Your size, speed, background experience, and knowledge are just a few things that make our perspectives different. This could be a great set of books to start the discussion of different perspectives in the younger grades and lead this into how people have different perspectives and so that is why there are elections and protests, etc. Also, just sweet, sweet books that touch your heart.

[Rosa Cline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emma has a special relationship with her pet turtle. She will sit outside and read to him and tell him about all the things the world has to offer and the places of the world. One day he finds a hole in his pen and he sets off to go see other parts of the world. He encounters 'typical' things to you and I but to him is strange and weird things that he believes he's in China! He believes he's been walking for a very long time! Eventually he does find his way back home to his little girl and he still thinks he traveled to another country and wants to do it again!

[Diana · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cute concept, but just a little odd for my personal taste. I'm fine with animals that act like people. I'm fine with animals that act like animals. But when they hover between the two, it's tough for me. Besides, the kiddo was bored and kept turning pages just to be done.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a cute book with not bad illustrations. I liked how the turtle thought it was all over the world, but really it was Emma's backyard. The world can be very big and exploring your own backyard is always fun. I enjoyed this book.

[E & E’s Mama · Rating 4 out of 5]

A funny and sweet story about a pet turtle who wants to see the world, so it breaks free from its cage and travels across the backyard, but it thinks it’s made it all the way to India. Probably best for preschool and up since it’s a little long.

[Adams' Country Retreat · Rating 5 out of 5]

cute...I love turtles...

[Gwen Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute story about a pet turtle who decides to go explore the world he has heard Emma read about. The turtle wanders through the yard thinking of the different countries it could be in.

[Emily Love · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is adorable, and the pictures are quite cute. My son loves turtles, and he thinks this story is so much fun.

[Library Lady Terri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked all of the stickers on the shell from his wide travels.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A turtle thinks he walks around the world when really he hasn't left his backyard. I found this to be a pretty mediocre book.

[Kathy Piselli · Rating 4 out of 5]

"it is exciting to have the whole world here in my backyard".

[Mo · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you can't actually go there, at least you can pretend.

[Brandy T · Rating 4 out of 5]

The adventures of Emma's turtle.

[Suzanne Lorraine Kunz Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved and secure. This turtle hears from books about far away places and wants to go exploring. Are you the same way? Is there something in everyone that longs for the security of familiar things and the adventure of new ones?

Talking points: What things make you feel most secure? What new adventures would you like to have?

[Greta is Erikasbuddy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a super cute book told from the pov of Emma's Turtle.

This cute little box turtle is super curious. He lives in a pen out back where his Emma tells him stories about different lands like China, India, Australia, and Africa.

Turtle really would like to visit these places.

One day he digs his way under his pen and goes to explore. He wants to see the tigers of India and the Kangaroos of Australia. They sky is the limit!

Greta's Thoughts
I love that the turtle told the story. I thought that was super de duper cute! I also loved that he was a box turtle and true to being a box turtle he had a hard time walking through grass and loved to dig.

I also thought it was mondo cool that he lived outside in a pen, ate a snail, and got strawberries when his Emma found him at the other end of the yard. And it made me go squee when he said he was going to dig another hole tomorrow so he could go find China. Box turtles are mighty curious and this book definitely captured that.

Illustrations
The pictures were fabulous!! They brought out many mannerisms and expressions that I have seen in my turtle. Totally cute!! And the backgrounds were simply splendid. A child will not get bored with these pictures. There are tons of things to see.

Conclusion
Whether you own a turtle or not, are a boy or a girl, or simply love animals then this book will knock your shell off.

Totally a winner!

[Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Emma has a pet turtle that she keeps in her backyard. She takes good care of him and always reads to him about far-off places like India and Africa. One day the turtle decides to escape and see these places and after walking for what seems like forever, he believes that he sees these places in the everyday details like a beetle and a striped cat (which he mistakes for a tiger at first). He is finally found by his owner and put back in his enclosure and given his dinner. She was very worried about him. He is amazed when he learns that he only made it across the backyard. My son liked the book because it was about a turtle. It was an alright story, but nothing to write home about. Recommended for ages 3-7, 2 stars.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

My daughter loves animals, and this one had her name in the title, so we just had to bring it home from the library for a read. The illustrations are well done and the story about a turtle who escapes his cage to go travel the world (read: backyard) is very clever.

My daughter is only two, so I'm not sure how much of the story she understood, but we had a good time describing what she saw on each page. We also learned two new animals, as she'd never seen a panda or snail before. This was my daughter's first encounter with someone who has the same name as her, so she was most intrigued by the "other Emma," as we called her.

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Didn't read this one for my children's lit class, but just because it caught my eye. I love turtles! This colorful picture book is a really cute story about a turtle who digs out of his cage and explores the backyard, thinking he's exploring the different countries his owner has been reading to him. Really cute how relieved he is when the little girl finds him, but he plans to go on another expedition.

[Brian Barlics · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is something about this book that simply makes it really entertaining. Just the idea of a turtle walking a distance of maybe 25 yards and thinking that it had traveled the many regions of the world is hilarious to me. The illustrations really help to tell the story and it is written cleverly from the perspective of the turtle itself. Children enjoy using their imaginations with this one, as do the adults.

[Lesley Looper · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of the cutest children's books I've read in a while! I enjoyed the interaction between the girl and the turtle early on, especially her reading to the turtle. When the turtle digs a hole and takes off to different countries, but really across the backyard, it's full of imagination and adventure. The girl's delight in finding the turtle again is sweet, and something children can relate to. Cuteness.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

The turtle with illusions of grandeur escapes his pen and believes he is seeing the world his Emma is always telling stories about. In truth he never leaves the backyard and Emma finds him before he can get too far, but he he is not dissuaded, making plans to escape again the next day and visit China.

[Angela Hutchinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emma's turtle is on an adventure. The turtle has left his pen in the backyard. As the turtle slowly walks through the tall grass, he seems to be getting tired. The turtle believes he has walked so far that he is in another country, such as: Africa, Australia, and India. Emma finds the turtle and returns it to the pen where it is safe. This would be a good read aloud for younger students.

[Dolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun story about exploring the world of your own backyard and using your imagination to take you to other places. Emma's turtle escapes and has an adventure. It's a fun story to read aloud and our girls enjoyed it.

[Stacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emma's turtle likes to hear Emma tell him about the world. One day he decides it would be great to see the world for himself. He travels from one end of the yard to the other thinking he's gone all over the world. Cute story.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a soft spot for turtles, so I really enjoyed this book. A very cute story about an adventurous & imaginative little turtle.

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

pets - turtle; exploring; outdoors - backyard; travel

[Christine Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Note: Adventures in Africa, India, and other faraway lands.

[Mie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun and cute book to read and the children loved listening. We all thought it was funny how the turtle thought he traveled around the world, but just had a little adventure in his own backjard.