Thurston T. Turtle Moves To Hubbleville by Micki Bare.
Thurston T. Turtle Moves to Hubbleville is a charming story geared towards older elementary school students that tackles some interesting and thought-provoking subjects. We are introduced to Thurston as a stranger that is making his way into a small, southern town. Thurston is seen through the eyes of two of the citizens and their initial interactions. It is a perfect example of a small town and the small town life that so many people are searching for. I was surprised to see that I admired the way Micki handled the characters and gave them all a sincerity that made me want to move to Hubbleville. I wasn't expecting that from a book where the characters are all animals. So, one lesson was about life in a small town and how kind people can be.
Part of the story involved Thurston learning about the town and seeing if he would be able to fit in. Any child that has had to move or change schools would identify with our Turtle. Thurston spends time meeting all of the people in the town and using the various services, like the locksmith, clerk and bank. There is some adjustment that needs to be made and Thurston takes his time and doesn't rush into anything.
Acting as more than a comic foil, one of the other characters we follow is Mr. Possum who suffers as Hubbleville's newspaperman. Unfortunately, Mr. Possum has everything slightly wrong and can never seem to find Thurston to interview him for the paper. A smaller lesson is that you need to make sure that you try and get your facts straight.
Micki has authored a very charming read that will be sure to delight kids that are looking for a more serialized story. The tale is very episodic and offers humor and a little bit of mystery. I can't wait to see what happens next in Hubbleville.
You can find Micki at her website, Inspiredscribe.
The author provided a review copy of the book.
