Turtle Walk

Matt Phelan is the author and illustrator of the novels The Sheep, the Rooster, and the Duck; Knights vs. Dinosaurs; Knights vs. Monsters; and Knights vs. the End (of Everything); and the picture books Sweater Weather, Turtle Walk, Pignic, and Druthers. He is also the creator of the graphic novels The Storm in the Barn (winner of a Scott O’Dell Award); Around the World; Bluffton; and the New York Times bestseller Snow White. Matt Phelan lives in Pennsylvania. Matt Phelan is the author and illustrator of the novels The Sheep, the Rooster, and the Duck; Knights vs. Dinosaurs; Knights vs. Monsters; and Knights vs. the End (of Everything); and the picture books Sweater Weather, Turtle Walk, Pignic, and Druthers. He is also the creator of the graphic novels The Storm in the Barn (winner of a Scott O’Dell Award); Around the World; Bluffton; and the New York Times bestseller Snow White. Matt Phelan lives in Pennsylvania.

“Turtle kids experience extremely delayed gratification when their parents announce a local adventure in this winning picture book. . . . Phelan . . . makes the trip more than worthwhile . . . with luscious scenes of flowers and showers, a busy playground and brilliant firefly display, and a ripe orchard and a glowing pumpkin field. . . . It’s every memorable family trip in a nutshell, filled with moments of tedium, thrills, and, best of all, togetherness.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)“A family of turtles slowly wends its way through various landscapes in this gentle rhyming walk through the seasons. . . .  Phelan manages both simplicity and lushness in the loose, charcoal-smudged watercolor art . . . while compositions make clear the breadth of the larger world . . . . This is an easy pick for a seasonal storytime, or as a primer for a family road trip and a reminder that the journey can be more entertaining than the destination." — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books (starred review)"This book has so much to offer for readers, from the simple story that could be sung, to the exploration of seasons, to the repetition of text to engage budding readers. An excellent example of simple storytelling matched with inky watercolor drawings to create a story of family, and a story of seasons. This is a perfect book, and an instant classic for story hours.” — School Library Journal (starred review)“A family of turtles celebrates four seasons with a long walk around its small world. . . . Simple, rhyming text . . . accompanies the little group of four on its journey . . . Phelan’s artwork is lively and visually bright, with rich colors and impressionistic lines . . . Playful and lighthearted.” — Kirkus Reviews“This slow-burn picture book follows a family of four turtles as they lumber toward . . . [an] unnamed destination. . . . Phelan’s . . . watercolors [fill] the natural landscapes with life . . . with spreads that also—among other hints—reflect the changing seasons. . . . Simple, poetic, and wonderfully joyous.” — Booklist“Join four turtles . . . on a slow walk through the seasons of the year. . . . The chanting text keeps a gentle rhythm throughout and invites participation . . . Paired with the inviting visuals, the . . . text has just the right mix of pace and repetition to capture the attention of the very youngest listeners.” — Horn Book Magazine