Click Here To Purchase Templeton Turtle Goes Exploring 

Author: Ron Pridmore

Illustrated by: Michele-lee Phelan

Publisher: Bridgeway Books

ISBN: 978-1-934454-21-3

Author Ron Pridmore has always dreamed of writing a book about animals and hopes his first book about Templeton will foster a fondness for animals among the young readers.

Michele-lee Phelan wanted to be a professional artist since being a girl. She is inspired by nature and has painted the covers of several fantasy novels whilst working towards completing her first art book.

Templeton Turtle hatches one day from the comfort and security of his egg. For the first time in his life he admires the blue sky and feels the warmth from the sun shining on his shell. He is a very curious little creature and he asks his mother “may I please go exploring?”

His mum agrees but only if he promises to stay at the water’s edge. But Templeton’s curiosity gets the better of him and he strays further than he is told. He meets weird and wonderful creatures along the way like Mr Blue who is a heron and stands quite still in the water watching and waiting for fish to catch. He also meets a long, skinny creature with stripes on its skin.

This character is portrayed well as a snake who flicks his tongue and slithers about.

Mr Longlegs is also a lovely character who I was very fond of. He has a personality which is warm and friendly as you’d expect from this kind of creature and offers to come with Templeton for a swim.

The beautiful illustrations of the racoons are really amazing. You have to see them to believe but Phelan really has a great artistic hand. Their paws are realistic and little faces so cute you just want to put your arms around them and cuddle them. This side of things should really appeal to children and also to adults too.

In the end Templeton is nearly trampled on by a herd of bulls but thankfully at the last second he is rescued and learns that all the creatures he’s seen on his adventure look out for one another.

There is little fault with this delightful book. Illustrations are simply splendid - specially the ones of the turtles with their big stunning eyes and eye-catching shells. The flowers too are carefully drawn in and the other cute little creatures included (like the butterflies, dragonflies and a charming lizard) add to the over-all charm of this picture book.

The fresh green border that margins each page works wonderfully.

Pridmore’s message that we are all there to look out for one another is something I think is a very necessary thing to teach children.

I could look through this again and again and still find it enjoyable. A really good story.

Click Here To Purchase Templeton Turtle Goes Exploring

The above review was contributed by: Jessica Roberts:  Jessica is a book reviewer for a local newspaper and has reviewed for a national women's magazine too. She has had various articles published in magazines and has now completed her novel. Jessica currently lives in West Yorkshire and enjoys walking in the dales and woodlands as part of her hobby as well as, of course, reviewing books. To read more of Jessica's reviews  CLICK HERE