Turtle's Race with Beaver: A Traditional Seneca Story by Joseph Bruchac & James Bruchac
Turtle’s Race
with Beaver: A Traditional Seneca Story
Bibliography
Bruchac, Joseph & Bruchac, James. 2003. Turtle's Race with Beaver: A Traditional Seneca Story. Ill. by Jose Aruego & Ariane Dewey. New York, NY: Dial Books for Young Readers. ISBN 9780803730342
Plot Summary
As Turtle burrows in the mud at the bottom of her pond for winter, unbeknownst to her, Beaver has built a dam and a den that deepened her pond and made it an unsuitable habitat for her. Unwilling to share, Beaver challenges Turtle to a race in which winner takes the pond. While Turtle knows she is not as good of a swimmer as Beaver, she outsmarts him in the race by clinging onto his tail with her mouth until they were almost at the finish line. Then she bites down hard on Beaver's tail, causing him to fling her in front and allowing her to win the race. She offers to share the pond, but the embarrassed Beaver runs away. Beaver did learn his lesson, however, and when he found another pond occupied by another friendly turtle, he agreed to share the pond this time.
Critical Analysis
The story is similar to The Turtle and the Hare. Cleverness wins out in the end, and the beaver learned his lesson on the importance of sharing rather than being greedy. The illustrations are vibrant and colorful, showcasing the beauty of the beaver and turtle's natural habitat. The anthropomorphic faces of the animals convey emotions such as determination, stubbornness, and frustration.
Review Excerpts
Horn Book Guide, 04/01/2004
"This sprightly retelling is enhanced by Aruego and Dewey's characteristically winsome art."
"This appealing variant of the time-honored, cross-cultural tale conveys the need for cooperation, perseverance, and humility within group settings. Children will be so involved in the storytelling that they'll absorb these lessons effortlessly."
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