Customer Reviews

Old Turtle

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I still have this amazingly and beautifully illustrated story book in hard cover with the "1993 ABBY Book of the Year Children's Book Award" gold sticker on the front. This book is a priceless gem that I have read to my children countless times.
Douglas Wood's phenomenal writing teaches us about honoring the diversities among nature, plants, trees, mountains, the ocean, and all of the different kinds of people on Earth.
Cheng-Khee Chee created the most beautiful watercolor illustrations that look brand new over a decade later in the hard cover edition, which is truly the only edition you would want to buy.
The story is too beautiful to describe. It is an amazing experience. If you want to know which book out of a million to read to your children, this is the one.
HIGHLY Recommended. It is Priceless, and as an adult, I love reading this book as much as my children love hearing it. A MUST BUY, and A MUST READ!

this was a nice book on diversity. i think one of the things people get the most worked up over is spirituality. it's one of those things that can touch a person more deep than anything else, and everyone's perspective will differ, even if only minutely. wars have been started over the issue, and all because we're too pig headed and focused on our own validity. this book starts off with animals and rocks and trees each saying that what they think god is is indeed the true god, and that god seems to resemble the speaker. then the old turtle stops them and tell them of the coming of a new group, humans, and how they are supposed to be a message from god the the earth and a prayer from the earth to god. then people come and after while start to do not so nice things and nature says to stop. then the beings that said god was like themselves at the beginning of the book said they saw god in that which was opposite themselves. i guess the moral being have an open mind about that which is different from yourself, because it really isn't so alien to what you believe.

I received this book years ago as a holiday gift from an adult friend to an adult me! However, my grand-daughter has heard this story over and over since she was 3 or 4, and it has led to many wonderful discussions about tolerance, diversity, the Creator, taking care of Mother Earth and all her children, what "God" might be like, etc. I'm not really wild about organized religion, but through repetition and gentle discourse according to her age, I've managed to convey to her a grounded understanding of spirituality to be found in nature and in everyday life.

In addition, this has become my standard newborn baby gift.

I NEVER write reviews, but I had to write about this one!

It talks of all the different aspects of the earth and their arguments with each other over what is God. Old Turtle speaks up and proclaims that God is all the things they have said, but most importantly, GOD IS.

Old Turtle then goes on to talk about how humans are coming and are a gift. The humans do come, but they forget the gift and thereby destroy much of the earth. When they remember, they realize that if they love, they will experience the gift of God again.

This is how I want to teach my son and new baby about God. Not the politics of who is "right" or "wrong." We can all just be assured that through whatever spiritual path we are all on, we can take solace in knowing that GOD IS.

Beautiful story.

This was a wonderful story and one the children I read it to at the library I worked at thorougly enjoyed. Douglas Wood replays Genesis- but the themes behind the allegory. God is more than what I see of Him- God can only be found in what others see of Him as well. This is true Christian community. Wood displays wonderfully the foolishness of insisting upon only my view of God- in a way that children can understand but so many adults (including myself) need to hear. And then you truly feel the tragedy of the humans, forgetting all of the care for the land that God engrained upon us. Forgetting that God is found in His creation, and that all creation is a worshipful expression to Him. When we forget about the Land, we forget about God. So in the end, "even the stones need to cry out." For creation has learned in it's turmoil to see the Inner Light in the other. Creation has been redeemed. As C.S. Lewis said, this is what makes Christianity unique among great world religions- it calls for us to become like what we are unlike, as we see God in our sister and brother who is most unlike us.

Wow...What a wonderful book! I would have to say this is probably one of the very best books I have ever read! Along with the amazing illustrations is a wonderful story of who the animals, mountains, the winds and the waters, the fish, and the rocks and the birds, and the trees see God. I think in a way it gives us a simile on how all of the different things of the earth could symbolize how all the different religions see God. But as the Old Turtle said God is all of the things that they said. God IS!
I would highly recommend this book to parents or teachers to read to children.
The Illustrations of the book are water colors and with how the author places the setting and talks about all the creations of the world I think it really ties the book and illustrations together. ~Kellie~

This is a very well told and well illustrated story. Way back in the beggining of time, when all the animals, mountains, trees, winds, and waters could somehow talk to each other, they started arguing about who and what God is. Eventually, the argument got so loud that Old Turtle, who had never spoken much before, told them that God is everything, God just IS. Then he told the animals about a new creature that was coming, as a message of love from god to earth. Then People came. They forgot they were a message from God. They misused their power, and hurt each other and the earth. Then they were told to stop by a new voice. The mountain, ocean, stone, breeze, and star told them what God was. The people listened, and started to see beauty in one another and the earth. This book has beautiful water-color illustrations. The people are not well illustrated, but with water colors that is understandable. This book was written by Douglas Wood, and illustrated by Cheng-Khee Chee.

I had first heard of this book when I was in high school and trying to decide what to do with my life. Such a big deal was being made of it that I decided to pick it up in the bookstore and read it. I cried at the end! It was given to me as a gift shortly thereafter and I have kept it with me ever since. It has touched me, and explains god in a way that children and even disenchanted young adults can understand. It also helped me find my way to ecology and the study of god's beautiful creation. I highly recommend this for anyone struggling with how to explain god to their child, or who want to help their children understand the sacredness of life and the beauty within all of us. I still sniffle every time I reach the end.

How often do you find a children's book with a intelectually fresh and profound message??

We dont have a family religion in our house, but I feel that it is important to introduce the concept of god for the child to ponder.
This book is perfect and non-denominational... christians think it is about Christianity, Taoists think it is about Taoism and so on.. it is applicable to many because it only goes into concept of god and not any particular dogmas.

I have 4 children, from age 11 to 31, so I have had LOTS of experience with children's books. This is by far, the BEST children's book I have ever read! The message is one for all of mankind. My little girl and I just got lost in the illustrations, they are SO beautiful! An absolute classic! Should be on the everyone's bookshelf.