Emma's turtle loves the stories she reads about distant lands, and one day he escapes  his backyard pen to visit these far-off places. The tall grass makes him think he's in Africa, though what appears to be an elephant's leg turns out to be a tree stump. The green critter that hops over his head turns out to be a frog, not a kangaroo. Doesn't that tiger mean the turtle has found India? Nope, it's only the "silly striped cat from next door." Turtle does worry a bit about getting back, but happily Emma rescues him and brings him home, where snacks, sleep, and new dreams of travel await. Writing in the turtle's descriptive, often droll voice, Bunting demonstrates how stories can inspire adventures and imagination, while textured, earth-toned watercolor illustrations depict turtle's experiences with whimsy and charm. As the turtle aptly concludes when he's finally snug in his home: there's a "whole world here in my backyard."

Emma's pet turtle so enjoys listening to her tell stories about life in other countries that he leaves his pen to go exploring for himself. Though he thinks he's reached Australia and India, he ultimately realizes that there are adventures aplenty to be had in his own backyard. Watercolor illustrations trace the route of the intrepid turtle's journey.

<p>Emma's prized pet discovers a whole world in the backyard. Turtle, who narrates his own story, lives in a backyard pen where Emma gives him healthy snacks and reads adventure books aloud while rocking back and forth in her rope swing. Her stories fill the turtle with dreams and wanderlust, and he digs a hole under his pen and escapes, determined to see the world. He mistakes the tall grass for a jungle and the neighbor's striped cat for a tiger. Emma is relieved to find him, still in the backyard, and gives him a juicy snail and some strawberry slices. Snug in an overturned clay pot, the turtle reflects on his exciting journey and contemplates a new one tomorrow. Winborn's warm watercolors make simple scenes look fascinating and even dangerous, and she gives the turtle an impressive range of expressions. Young readers should relate to an odyssey close to home. (Picture book. 3-6)</p>

PreS-Gr 1-A girl reads about faraway lands to her pet turtle. The turtle then decides to do a bit of exploring, digging a hole to get under the wire of his pen. He makes immediate discoveries, such as, "My legs are short and the grass is long. I think this must be the jungle." He sees a tree stump and thinks it must be an elephant leg in Africa. He mistakes a frog at first for a kangaroo leaping in Australia, and fears that the cat from next door is an Indian tiger. Just when the turtle begins to worry that he might be lost, Emma finds him and takes him home. Children will immediately get the joke that despite the turtle's impressions, he never leaves the yard. The nice twist is that he is not disappointed with his adventure. He reflects, "It is exciting to have the whole world here in my backyard." The whimsical watercolor illustrations match the tone of the story well. The turtle's face shows many emotions as he travels and discovers. The pictures are drawn on scale with the small creature himself, echoing a childlike perspective and interpretation of size in a personal world. Humorous, warm, and ultimately reassuring, this story will be appreciated by individual readers but it's also a good choice for group read-alouds.-Lucinda Snyder Whitehurst, St. Christopher's School, Richmond, VA Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information.