Turtle Splash! Countdown at the Pond (Hardcover)

by Cathryn Falwell (Author, Illustrator) "Ten timid turtles, lounging in a line..." (more)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Falwell's (Where's Nicky?) combination of counting book and nature tale, in an idyllic pond setting, begins with "Ten timid turtles, lounging in a line." These attractive Eastern Painted Turtles (identified at story's end), with sweetly placid eyes, intricate stripes and loops of yellow and orange on their shells and bodies, appear on every spread but decrease in number with each turn of the page. Various creatures send them scuttling for cover off their log, one by one, and into the variegated blueness of the pond. First, a plump emerald bullfrog in flight reduces the group to nine; several pages later, the fluttering presence of a burnished brown butterfly knocks the number down to three. Into each spread, Falwell tucks a clue as to the next offender: in one, it's a fawn's spotted back, in another the feather of a chickadee floats on the pond's surface. After all 10 turtles make their exits, they reconvene on the pond floor to "settle for the night." Working in collages of papers, birch bark and leaf prints, Falwell makes every aqua-hued spread come alive with texture, both visually and ecologically. The final spreads provide succinct profiles of the pond inhabitants that appear in the story and explain how to make the same leaf prints that Falwell uses so effectively. This lush volume is sure to make a splash. Ages 3-up.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
reS-Gr 1-"Ten/timid turtles,/lounging/in a line./Startled by/a bullfrog-/Then there/are nine." This lovely countdown features Eastern Painted Turtles and various insects, birds, and mammals sharing a pond habitat. As each new creature appears on the scene, one more turtle jumps off the log and into the water. Eventually, the blue sky of day gives way to rose and purple shades and all 10 tired turtles are underwater to "settle for the night." The familiar counting scheme plays out in beautifully constructed collage scenes. Many of the animals are quite realistic; some are less detailed. Birch bark and leaf prints add realism to the lush growth surrounding the melded blues and greens of the water. A white panel on either side of the double-page view contains a large blue numeral, the verse, and trailing bits of picture to soften the contrast. The pleasing glimpses of the shy turtles and their neighbors end with a satisfying recapping of the count in a night view lit with fireflies. Three final pages augment the pond visit with information on the behavior of each animal and brief instructions for making leaf prints. This is pleasing fare for reading aloud at bedtime, or anytime, and offers an inviting early nature lesson.

Margaret Bush, Simmons College, Boston

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Greenwillow Books; 1st edition (August 7, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060294620
• ISBN-13: 978-0060294625
• Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 8.6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #715,996 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Count on this one!, October 20, 2001

By	Gabby (upstate NY) - See all my reviews

This beautiful counting book is a great introduction to nature as well. The bright collage illustrations are rich with texture and detail, and the perky text is fun to read to kids while they find clues to the next animal hidden in the pictures. There are information pages in the back that provide more interesting facts about each animal ( helpful to parents,too--I didn't know that turtles wintered over in the mud at the bottom of the pond!) and even an arts and crafts page that shows an easy way for children to make leaf prints.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great counting book, May 3, 2004

By	Erika Mitchell (E. Calais, VT USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

In this book ten turtles are sitting on a log, but one by one, they each jump into the water when startled by other creatures of the forest, like bullfrogs, ducks, and deer. The story rhymes, and has a lot of alliteration. At the end of the book is a reference section with short informative descriptions of the animals mentioned in the text. This is great for parents who are faced with follow up questions after reading the book. The story, with its countdown plot, makes a great wind-down at bed time. It has about 60 words.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Turtle Splash! Countdown at the Pond, October 15, 2002

By	JOETTA WOLFF (NEWCOMERSTOWN, OH United States) - See all my reviews

Turtle Splash! Countdown at the Pond is the story of a day in the life of ten Eastern Painted Turtles. The basic premise of the book is learning the numbers one thru ten. The book begins with "Ten timid turtles, lounging in a line. Startled by a bullfrog...Then there are nine." Various creatures continue to disturb the turtles. One by one their numbers dwindle. The story concludes with all ten turtles reunited for the night. The numbers one thru ten are then reviewed. Falwell includes 2 pages of ecological information at the end of the story. Information is included about all of the wildlife mentioned in the book.
The artwork in this book is striking. Each page contains a striking mixed media collage. The leaf prints and birch bark leave a realistic impression of life at the pond. The various animals depicted appear very lifelike. The Eastern Painted Turtles are especially well depicted. Several collages provide a clue to the next animal that the turtles will encounter. A rabbit is seen in the background on the page featuring the bullfrog. Part of the red squirrel's tale is seen on the page featuring the rabbit. A glimpse of the fawn's back is seen on the page featuring the red squirrel. The book also includes instructions on how to recreate Falwell's leaf prints.