Review: TURTLE IN JULY by Marilyn Singer

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Singer, Marilyn. 1989. Turtle in July. Ill by Jerry Pinkney. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company. ISBN 0-02-782881-6

2. PLOT SUMMARY
Turtle in July is a collection of nature poems paired with superb watercolor illustrations by Jerry Pinkney. Each of the four seasons is framed by poems from the bullhead, a type of catfish which lives “belly-down in the shallows,” whether he is hibernating, eating or spawning. Marilyn Singer introduces the seasons with a different animal narrating a poem for each season. The animals in this assortment of poems are those that one would relate to the season such as the deer running across the snow in the winter and the sleepy, sluggish bear waking up in March. One by one, the animals take the reader and listener through the months and seasons from January to December, where the cat curled up in her cozy chair informs the reader that “No cat I remember dislikes December inside.”

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The pattern of words Singer uses in this collection reflects the nature of the animal narrating the poem. For instance, the deer mouse uses quick, short bursts of words which are written in a repetitive pattern spaced to show his hurried movements:
 “get going
    move
        hustle”
The timber rattlesnake’s speech is characterized by repeated use of the consonant “s” which makes one think of the sound of the snake hissing. When the warbler tells about finding a mate and building a nest, Singer uses repetitive words which make it sound like singing when the words are read aloud.

The beautiful watercolor illustrations by Jerry Pinkney add to the mood portrayed by each animal and season. With his characteristic attention to detail, he has captured the personality of each animal narrating a poem. The alertness of the barn owl with its outstretched wings and open talons reflects the words of the poem such as hush, sweep, wait, and snatch. The stillness of the winter day is reflected in the white snowy background across which January’s deer is running. My favorite is the cat who prefers the warmth of a lap or chair by the fireplace.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
BOOKLIST, starred review: "A book that is both fresh and engaging. The animal poems, framed by the seasons of the year, are sharply evocative. . . . Pinkney's glorious full-page, richly layered watercolors pulse with life. An excellent source for both poetry and nature units."
PUBLISHER’S WEEKLY review: “From the "January deer so swift and light" to the November beaver chanting "Mud, more mud, add mud, good mud . . . ," this collection of nature poems progresses through the year. Whether nose to nose with a busy beaver or in the muddy shallows with that bullhead, Pinkney illustrates these works with his splendid watercolors and a unique flair for patterns and textured spaces; his art is perfectly wedded to the verse. Ages 3-8.”

5. CONNECTIONS
This book of poetry would tie in well with both a Science unit on animals and a unit on seasons. After reading the book as a group, children could be given the opportunity to write a poem about how animals behave or about their favorite season. It would also make an excellent reader’s theater production. Children could even make animal masks to use as they read their parts.
 Other nature poems:
Yolen, Jane. Color Me a Rhyme: Nature Poems for Young People. ISBN 1590781724
Rylant, Cynthia. Night in the Country. ISBN 0689714734
Ebensen, Barbara Juster. Swing Around the Sun. ISBN 0876141432