Review Detail

HURRY, LITTLE TORTOISE, TIME FOR SCHOOL! is a cute picture book about achieving your personal best and going at your own speed (literally). Tortoise is excited to go to school, and she is determined to go there today as quickly as she can. As she walks to school, her classmates pass her by, reminding her to hurry, but she is already going as quickly as she can. As she finally gets closer, she sees Mr. Sloth, who is also hurrying as much as he can as well. They reach the classroom just on time with a reminder that it does not matter so much who is first or last but that they are all there.

What I loved: This is a really cute story with a great message about doing things in your own time. Tortoise is trying her best, and that may not be the same as other animals' bests, but it still means a lot. Children will appreciate the messages around achieving your personal best and not worrying about others as well as the importance of showing up, no matter what time you do. The illustrations are colorful and cute with lots of different animals on their way to school, excited to learn for the day. The text includes some sounds and speech along the way to add some extra fun.

What left me wanting more: As a small thing, tortoise disappears on a couple pages in the crack between the pages, which will be difficult for children who want to watch her progress. The text does not always flow smoothly when it is split between the general text and speech bubbles, but caregivers will be able to adjust order as needed once they have read it a couple times.

Final verdict: HURRY, LITTLE TORTOISE, TIME FOR SCHOOL! is a cute picture book that encourages children to go at their own pace and do their own personal best. This will resonate with young readers who will enjoy the colorful illustrations and delightful animal characters.