What Newt Could Do for Turtle

by Jonathan London, Louise Voce

Spring has come to the swamp. Newt wakes up from his winter's nap, deep in the mud. Luckily, his dearest friend, Turtle, wakes up and pulls him out. Now, Newt has spent the summer trying to think of a way to repay his friend. As winter closes in, Turtle is in real trouble and Newt finds a clever, daring way to save him. Full color.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens

40 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

Jonathan London is the author of several celebrated children's books. His commitment to honoring the wonders of the natural world has been lauded by readers and critics alike. He is the author of more than 70 children's books, many of which are about nature. He's also the author of the popular Froggy series. He lives in Graton, California with his wife and two sons.

Reviews

[Jesenia Sierra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book. It takes place in the springtime. Newt was stuck in the mud and cried for help. Turtle helped Newt. Newt thanked the Turtle. Now, Newt thought "what can Newt do for Turtle" though? Turtle was a good friend and always helped out Newt. In the summer they played. Another day a cottonmouth (snake) was swimming towards Newt. The snake was about to attack until Turtle was told Newt to watch out. Again, Newt thought, "what can Newt do for Turtle?" In the Fall an alligator was getting close to Newt and Turtle saved Newt. Newt really wanted to give something in return for Turtle's help. Another day, a bobcat pounced on Turtle's back. Turtle was on his back and stuck. He cried for Newt. Newt was dreaming that Turtle needed help. He woke up and ran to Turtle and helped Turtle. Newt uses a stick to get Turtle back on his feet. That’s what friends are for he thought. Now, winter is coming and Turtle and Newt are happy remembering what they did for each other. They both slept all winter. This book can be used to teach children about different animals, the seasons, and hibernation. It is also a book about friendship and helping others. You do not have to be big and strong to help friends out of situations. I can see this book being read in a classroom and then having a project on it. The project could be about the season or friendship. This book also had a lot of repetition with the turtle helping the newt get out of situations.

[Dolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a sweet tale about friendship and helping one another in our time of need. I'm a big fan of Jonathan London's work on the Froggy series, so I was excited to read this book. The narrative is simple and engaging, and the watercolor and ink illustrations are very colorful and cartoonish. Engaging, but ultimately forgettable.

[Sean Harding · Rating 3 out of 5]

London Odyssey #79
A tale of friendship and wanting to reciprocate help.
Some nice moments here.
It could be utilised to have a good discussion about friendship and expectations of giving and receiving and spinning into grace and accepting help from others without thinking about what you need to do to return the favour.

[Abi Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

A childhood favourite; this book is full of beautiful illustrations and a powerful message of how to appreciate and acknowledge true friendship and kindness.

[Charlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Turtle is always helping Newt and saving him from danger. He pulls Newt out of the mud when he's stuck, and warns Newt of the approach of a hungry cottonmouth snake. But Newt feels embarrassed: if only there were something he could do for Turtle. Then one day he gets the chance.

This is an enjoyable book to read as it reveals a great moral to the story (friendship) and the pictures are bright and engaging.

This book is ideal for EYFS and key stage 1 pupils. I read this book during a circle time session to a year 2 class in my third placement. The children all shared how they would treat their friends.

[Libby Meyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spring comes to the swamp and Newt is waking up from his winter nap. Suddenly, he realises he is stuck. Luckily his good friend Turtle is nearby and on hand to save him. From then on, Newt feels indebted to his friend, but cannot think of a suitable way to repay the growing list of favours that have been done for him.

This is a sweet book that would work as a story time book for EYFS or as a stimulus for KS1. The pictures and moral lesson is beautiful, and it naturally lends itself to a PSHE lesson on what kindness is. It could also be used for a literacy lesson- children could brainstorm what happens next, and then write a descriptive paragraph to end the story.

[Kendra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love this book. This book has a great moral and terrific pictures. Children's books must have great pictures as well as a great story/moral so I can teach my children values as well as the joy of reading. THIS BOOK TEACHES A MORAL AS WELL AS A GREAT STORY WITH PICTURES.

[Cornelia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sweet story of Newt and Turtle's friendship and how they help each other. It introduces the animals of the swamp, but I am not sure how true to the swamp it is. Are turtles and newts friends?