Turtle-Turtle and the Wide, Wide River Paperback by Jane Hillenbrand; illustrated by Will Hillenbrand

Product Details

• Publisher: Holiday House (2026-06-02)
• Language: English
• Paperback: 32 pages
• ISBN-13: 9780823463985
• Item Weight: 368.55 grams
• Dimensions: 0.0 x 0.0 x 0.0 cm

Whish! Whoosh! When the river rises, Turtle-Turtle needs his friends’ help reaching higher ground in this epic, but ultimately reassuring, ode to friendship and resilience.

The rain pelted down, down, down
And the wide, wide river rose up, up, up
All around, all around.

When a storm strikes, most of the animals know what to do: Skiddaddle! But Turtle-Turtle doesn’t realize he should swim away . . . until the water rises. Although he’s scared to weather it on his own, he learns that he doesn’t have to. Comforting companions Heron and Frog help Turtle-Turtle until—bit-by-bit, friend-by-friend—he finds the strength within himself to push onwards to safer shores.

Rich with rhythm and read-aloud potential, Turtle-Turtle and the Wide, Wide River is a perfect bedtime book that masterfully melds an epic adventure with a reassuring ending. Drawing on their years of shared experience teaching and creating picture books, Jane & Will Hillenbrand offer readers a celebration of friendship and a gentle reminder that, even when you’re stuck on the stormiest seas, your loved ones will help you to stay afloat.

About the Author

Jane Hillenbrand is an elementary school teacher. What a Treasure! was her first picture book. Publishers Weekly called it a "warm look at appreciating the small, often unexpected, joys in one's life." She lives in Ohio with her husband, Will Hillenbrand.

Will Hillenbrand has written and illustrated a wide range of picture books for children, including the popular Bear and Mole books and the Mighty Reader series. Spring Is Here won the Please Touch Museum Book Award. What a Treasure! a Pennsylvania One Book, was written with his spouse Jane Hillenbrand.