Turtle's Race with Beaver by Joseph Bruchac

Humiliated, he leaves for another pond, and when his new home's terrapin resident agrees to share, he gratefully acquiesces. At the outset of the competition, Turtle sinks her teeth into Beaver's broad tail, and the pain eventually causes him to flip it in such a way that she is hurled across the finish line in first place. Word spreads throughout the forest and all the animals gather to witness the improbable spectacle.

However, impudent Beaver scoffs at the invitation and challenges her to a race. Beaver's dam and lodge have changed the pond's ambience very much indeed, but Turtle benevolently offers to share her home with the newcomer. This delightful folktale closely resembles Aesop's 'The Tortoise and the Hare.' A sweet-looking turtle lives contentedly in a beautiful pond until one spring she emerges from hibernation and discovers that another creature has overrun her domain. Done in pen and ink, gouache, and pastel, the cheerful artwork is a wonderful match for this well-told tale.- Rosalyn Pierini, San Luis Obispo City-County Library, CA Children will be so involved in the storytelling that they'll absorb these lessons effortlessly. This appealing variant of the time-honored, cross-cultural tale conveys the need for cooperation, perseverance, and humility within group settings.

Turtle's Race with Beaver by Joseph Bruchac