Old Turtle: Questions of the Heart

Wood’s Old Turtle, last seen in 2003’s Old Turtle and the Broken Truth, returns in his third and most accessible book, in which a group of children and adults with pressing questions seek his counsel. Dominated by rich reds and golds, Ruth’s graphite and watercolor images create a sense of joy, even when the questions turn to evil and death. Old Turtle answers each inquiry with calm, steady encouragement, and his considered responses (“Death is but the shadow that life casts. It is always with us, and to fear it is to fear life itself”) will linger with readers young and old. Ages 4–8. Illustrator’s agent: Allen Spiegel, Allen Spiegel Fine Arts. (Mar.)