School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1A playful story about a curious tortoise, Shelley, who wants to go outdoors in winter because she isn't sleepy yet. "Ridiculous!" say her parents. They fall asleep and Shelley slips out to experience the season. All the animals she encounters claim that she is "Ridiculous!" They point out that she cannot use her beak to find food like a duck, run around to keep warm like a dog, run into a nice warm house like a cat, or fly like a bird. Determined, Shelley trudges along until she hits a patch of ice at the top of a hill. Sliding down and reaching her home at the bottom, she proves that her shell is a very effective tool. Her arrival awakens her parents, who ask if she has been out in winter. "Ridiculous!" answers Shelley. Readers will chuckle at her response and feel satisfaction at leaving her snuggled up warmly for the rest of the winter. Williamson's watercolor cartoons are full of whimsy and humor.Suzanne Hawley, Laurel Oak Elementary School, Naples, FL (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.