#706 of 1001 · July 7, 2022

@pgreenboat and @catia_chien’s The Town of Turtle is many things: A story of introspection and transformation. A celebration of optimism and creativity. An ode to friendship and community. Turtle, all alone with his shadow, decides to make some upgrades to his surroundings. He paints, builds, landscapes, and engineers until he creates a small town, perched marvelously atop his shell. Enticed by this wondrous new locality, a host of workers and artists migrates from afar to populate the houses. Where Turtle was once all alone, he now enjoys an abundance of friends. Cuevas sprinkles her quirkily fascinating tale with potent similes (“as empty as a bird’s nest in December,” “as dark as the underside of a bell”), creative metaphors (“he slept the sleep of a broken pocket watch.”), and delightful personification (“The dream, feeling brave, ventured out into the world,” “laughter moved into the houses”). Chien’s colorful artwork, a combination of acrylic, pencil, and paper collage, reflects the magic and vibrancy of the story. #town #turtle #shadow #shell #lonely #loneliness #friend #friends #friendship #book #books #childrensbooks #picturebook #picturebooks #picturebookillustration #picturebookart #childrensbookillustration #childrensliterature #illustration #kidlit #kidsbooks #bookworm #booklover #booklovers #bibliophile #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagrammers #instabook #instabooks