A Home for Little Turtle: Little Animal Turtle

With a no-frills presentation and childlike humanization of animals, this quartet offers unassuming, cozy stories with familiar themes and plots. Speaking more to the human than the beastly condition, all four tales celebrate an appreciation of differences: a bear cub and wolf pup stumble into unexpected friendship; a hungry, orphaned duckling discovers the diverse diets of other animals; a homeless turtle learns to esteem his humble shell; an ambitious beaver enthralls a family of red squirrels with his foreign behavior. Although playful, the stories miss their potential for humor and rely on unimaginative dialogue. However, the variety of characters and illustrations in A Home for Little Turtle and The Hungry Duckling generate stories worth their price. A brief supplement of animal facts concludes each book with intriguing tidbits--beavers can stay under water for 15 minutes, a newborn bear cub is small enough to fit in your hand, a turtle's shell is as distinctive as a human's thumbprint. Ages 3-7. (Oct.)