Old Turtle

I still have this amazingly and beautifully illustrated story book in hard cover with the "1993 ABBY Book of the Year Children's Book Award" gold sticker on the front. This book is a priceless gem that I have read to my children countless times. Douglas Wood's phenomenal writing teaches us about honoring the diversities among nature, plants, trees, mountains, the ocean, and all of the different kinds of people on Earth. Cheng-Khee Chee created the most beautiful watercolor illustrations that look brand new over a decade later in the hard cover edition, which is truly the only edition you would want to buy. The story is too beautiful to describe. It is an amazing experience. If you want to know which book out of a million to read to your children, this is the one. HIGHLY Recommended. It is Priceless, and as an adult, I love reading this book as much as my children love hearing it. A MUST BUY, and A MUST READ!

I received this book years ago as a holiday gift from an adult friend to an adult me! However, my grand-daughter has heard this story over and over since she was 3 or 4, and it has led to many wonderful discussions about tolerance, diversity, the Creator, taking care of Mother Earth and all her children, what "God" might be like, etc. I'm not really wild about organized religion, but through repetition and gentle discourse according to her age, I've managed to convey to her a grounded understanding of spirituality to be found in nature and in everyday life.In addition, this has become my standard newborn baby gift.

I had first heard of this book when I was in high school and trying to decide what to do with my life. Such a big deal was being made of it that I decided to pick it up in the bookstore and read it. I cried at the end! It was given to me as a gift shortly thereafter and I have kept it with me ever since. It has touched me, and explains god in a way that children and even disenchanted young adults can understand. It also helped me find my way to ecology and the study of god's beautiful creation. I highly recommend this for anyone struggling with how to explain god to their child, or who want to help their children understand the sacredness of life and the beauty within all of us. I still sniffle every time I reach the end.

This is a book worth having, if only for the stunning artwork by Illustrator Cheng-Khee Chee. But in addition to the artwork, the story is one that is ideal for young and old. In this story, the world begins as a beautiful place, filled with luscious trees and colorful plants and flowers, stuffed with a wide variety of strange and exotic creatures. They begin talking, then discussing, then arguing over who God is. Before they come to blows, Old Turtle offers her wisdom and view of the future. There is peace until God adds people to the earthly creatures, and they (we) go through the same argument - whose definition of God is the accurate or better one? The people argue, hurt each other, wars break out (stop me if you've heard this one!). Old Turtle comes to the rescue again. Diversity, God as in all of us - a wonderful book, and absolutely worth having or giving in hardcover.

How do you explain what God is to children? As a parent, how do you explain about the importance of caring for the environment and all living creatures? This book accomplishes these things and more. The flowing text and beautiful water-color drawings inspire an understanding of Spirit that children and adults alike can relate to. If you have children, please share this book with them, my daughters love it. If you don't have children, buy this book as a gift for yourself, and read it often, to reconnect with the Spirit that is all around us and in everyone of us. Many thanks to Douglas Wood and Cheng-Khee Chee for such a beautiful book, it has become a family favorite.