Turtle's Race with Beaver by Joseph Bruchac

The illustrations are a good fit for the story. As the woodland creatures chant for their favorite racer, we see some repetition. Only animals are depicted, therefore we follow the storyline through their thoughts and actions. The literary device personification is found throughout the story. The motif found in this story is: a smaller, physically inferior animal defeats lager animal with mere wits. Being selfish only ends in trouble and defeat. The overall theme of the book is “Share and share alike.” Beaver learns that life can be quite pleasant when willing to share space with others. The time frame spans the course of about a year, showcasing animal activities during each season. The setting is a small, woodland pond surrounded by foliage and animals. The primary conflict is Beaver’s desire to take over Turtle’s pond. The turtle is in agreement and the live happily ever after. Beaver has learned his lesson and now asks if he can share the pond with the new turtle. Resolution- Beaver finds another pond, but it is already inhabited by another turtle. Turtle wins by hitching a ride on Beaver’s tail.įalling action- Turtle offers to share the pond once more, but defeated Beaver chooses to move on. Beaver is not open to sharing.Ĭlimax- Beaver and Turtle race for ultimate residency rights of the pond. He offers to try to share the pond Beaver. Turtle wakes to find his home taken over by Beaver. Rising action- While Turtle is hibernating for the winter, Beaver moves in and takes over the pond, changing the physical structure of the pond. The plot’s components can be easily identified:Įxposition- introduced to Turtle and setting

The plot is fairly straightforward and uncomplicated.

The beaver is the antagonist, the selfish new-comer to the pond. The turtle is the protagonist, the kind-hearted original inhabitant of the pond. The main characters in this story are Turtle and Beaver. Publisher, Year _Dial Books for Young Readers, 2003_ Worksheet for Evaluating Traditional Literature for Children (variants)īook title_Turtle’s Race with Bear _Īuthor, Illustrator _Told by Joseph Bruchac and James Bruchac Illustrated by Jose Arguego and Ariane Dewey_

Turtle's Race with Beaver by Joseph Bruchac