Tommy Turtle is a young shy land turtle. He wants to play with the other turtles at the park, but fear keeps him inside his shell, away from the others. Tommy watches from his hiding place in a hollow tree stump as the others splash in mud puddles and has a good time. Soon another turtle named Jerry walks over and introduces himself to Tommy. He convinces Tommy to give playing in the puddles a try but takes him to a less crowded area of the park. There Tommy opens up and starts to play and have fun until another turtle comes over. Once more, Tommy hides in his shell till she convinces him she won’t make fun of him. Together, the three go on to meet other turtles in the park and play.

Authors Mary and Michael Schmidt have created a heartwarming picture book for children to understand what shyness is and how to treat their peers that are shy. The storyline is well thought-out, giving kids an accurate representation of what shyness is and what the child that is shy is thinking and feeling. In addition, it explains how to approach and encourage children that are sky to make new friends and try new things in a child-appropriate way.

Tommy Turtle is a wonderful resource for schools to use in the education of emotional empathy and social skill development. Teachers, especially in kindergarten, can use this story to help children become comfortable with new situations and people as they learn to be in a classroom together for the first time. The emphasis on self-esteem and acceptance of others blends into this engaging story, and children will want to see Tommy make new friends while understanding why it is so hard for him. This children’s book is a must-have for families and schools.

Pages: 33 | ASIN : B09XNTKRDQ

Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2022/09/02/tommy-turtle/