ALA Booklist (Fri Dec 01 00:00:00 CST 2017)

Living in almost total darkness, Turtle has only his shadow for company. Inside of his shell, he dreams of a better, more colorful existence, and gradually, Turtle builds communal spaces, even though no one else is there. After creating a deck, garden, and pond, then houses, a library, a school, even an ice skating rink, an exhausted Turtle goes to sleep. "Folks," animals with human occupations, discover the town. Adventurous, creative types, such as a painter, a sailor, and a ballerina, move in, then all kinds of creatures looking for a place to belong. When Turtle awakes, he is thrilled to discover that "the world you dream can come alive all around you." Acrylic, pencil, and paper collage illustrations depict a colorful fantasy world. A dramatic gatefold shows the full scale of the town growing upward from its tiny beginning. A multilayered, multifaceted narrative that spurs contemplation and discussion, this creation story contains elements from folklore and religion as well as themes of diversity and acceptance.

Horn Book (Mon Apr 01 00:00:00 CDT 2019)

A grandfather, a girl, a boy, and their dog out for a walk notice the busyness of the natural world around them. The grandfather suggests a break from being busy and proposes a rest on a nearby bench. In the calm, the children notice the value of being quiet and still. Soft pastel shades, long gentle contours, and plenty of white space create an appropriately serene world.

Kirkus Reviews

A solitary turtle creates a community atop his shell.According to the lyrical text, "Turtle lived in a part of the world as empty as a bird's nest in December." The accompanying double-page illustration, created in acrylic, paper, and pencil collage, shows a small gray planet, about 10 times larger than the turtle perched on it, floating in a dark sky surrounded by a sea of stars. With only his shadow to talk to, Turtle is lonely. He spends most of his time inside his shell, dreaming of a happier life. Having pictured a "better home," he resolves to build it. Across several pages, Turtle (somewhat disconcertingly) slips out of his shell to paint, construct, and expand an elaborate environment on it. Blocky shapes, occasional splashes of vivid color, and unusual juxtapositions create a dreamlike quality that suits the fanciful premise. As he rests from his labors, new residents appear. "A painter, a sailor, and a ballerina came first." These anthropomorphic animals are followed by an array of others representing an eclectic variety of occupations. A gatefold that requires a 90-degree turn of the book shows Turtle's delight when he wakes to discover the town atop his shell is inhabited, but the resolution may seem less than satisfying since the turtle and the new arrivals don't truly interact.Though thoughtful, thought-provoking, and filled with engaging language, this allegorical tale may struggle to find an appreciative audience. (Picture book. 4-7)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Turtle lives on his own planet in the middle of a lonely galaxy. With only his shadow to talk to, he decides -to make some renovations to his shell.- Chien-s dreamlike mixed-media images move from grays to bright colors as Turtle

School Library Journal (Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 CST 2018)

PreS-Gr 2 Turtle is a dreamer, a deep thinker, and is somewhat particular. In choosing a color to freshen his walls, he contemplates the best green to match: "Not as bright as grass or lily shoot. But also not as dark as evergreen, or, say, envy." To use the leftover paint, he adds a deck to the exterior. As often happens in decorating, one thing leads to another. He imagines inviting neighbors to toast marshmallows, so he needs a fireplace. That necessitates wood, requiring trees. Soon there is a library, skating rink, and wax museum. Chien's ever-transforming acrylic, pencil, and collage compositions are well suited to the protagonist's fanciful vision. While Turtle's world starts in darkness, he is eventually constructing under a sky dotted with O'Keeffe-like clouds and gliding past lily pads in a pond worthy of Monet. While resting, his dreams about friends moving to town are rendered in vivid bursts of expressionistic forms. A gatefold opening reveals the vertical city in all its resplendent glory. Washed in blue, the denouement reveals cozy bedtime rituals. Perhaps that's what Turtle wanted all alongsomeone to call to in the dark. VERDICT Elegant language, childlike logic, and enthralling art invite readers into a marvelous community. Wendy Lukehart, District of Columbia Public Library