Reading Champion: Little Turtle and the Coyote: Independent Reading Turquoise 7

A little turtle tries to trick Coyote into giving him a lift back to the river in this North American traditional tale. Reading Champion is a series of books linked to book bands to encourage independent reading skills.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 24 pages
Publication date: 13 April 2023
Publisher: Hachette Children's Group

In this captivating North American folktale, a small turtle embarks on an adventurous journey that takes it far away from the serene river it calls home. Driven by curiosity and a mischievous spirit, the turtle hatches a clever plan to convince the cunning Coyote to give it a lift back to its aquatic abode.

The turtle, with its tiny legs paddling tirelessly, ventures into unknown territories, encountering various creatures along the way. It bravely faces challenges and obstacles, never giving up hope of returning to the safety of the river. However, as the days pass, the turtle realizes that it has strayed too far from its familiar surroundings and is now lost in a vast wilderness.

Feeling helpless and alone, the turtle decides to take a chance and approach Coyote, hoping to enlist his help in returning home. The turtle, with its innocent and trusting nature, presents itself as a helpless creature in need of assistance. It pleads with Coyote, offering to sing him a beautiful song in exchange for a ride back to the river.

Coyote, known for his quick wit and cunning nature, is initially skeptical of the turtle's request. He sees through the turtle's disguise and realizes that it is merely trying to trick him. However, Coyote's curiosity gets the better of him, and he decides to play along with the turtle's scheme.

With a mischievous grin, Coyote agrees to give the turtle a lift back to the river. The turtle, overjoyed and relieved, hops onto Coyote's back, feeling secure and comfortable. Coyote, however, has other plans in mind.

As they journey together, Coyote begins to tire of the turtle's constant chatter and requests that it keep quiet. The turtle, unable to contain its excitement, continues to talk and sing, oblivious to Coyote's growing frustration.

Meanwhile, the sun begins to set, casting a warm orange glow over the landscape. The turtle, feeling tired and sleepy, requests to be let off at the nearest riverbank. Coyote, sensing an opportunity, agrees to drop the turtle off but with a twist.

As they approach the riverbank, Coyote suddenly sprints in the opposite direction, leaving the turtle behind. The turtle, shocked and confused, realizes that it has been tricked once again by the cunning Coyote.

Feeling defeated and disheartened, the turtle sits on the riverbank, reflecting on its foolishness and the consequences of its actions. It learns a valuable lesson about the importance of staying close to its natural habitat and the dangers of trusting strangers.

From that day on, the turtle becomes more cautious and aware of its surroundings. It stays close to the river, where it feels safe and protected. It also learns to be more discerning in its interactions with other creatures, avoiding those who may have malicious intentions.

The story of the turtle and Coyote serves as a reminder of the importance of wisdom, caution, and the power of intelligence. It teaches us that sometimes, the most unlikely heroes can be found in the most unexpected places, and that it is essential to be aware of our surroundings and to trust our instincts.

This story is part of Reading Champion, a series carefully linked to book bands to encourage independent reading skills, developed with Dr. Sue Bodman and Glen Franklin of the UCL Institute of Education (IOE). Reading Champion offers independent reading books for children to practice and reinforce their developing reading skills. Fantastic stories are accompanied by engaging artwork and a reading activity. Each book has been carefully graded so that it can be matched to a child's reading ability, encouraging reading for pleasure.

In this captivating North American folktale, a small turtle embarks on an adventurous journey that takes it far away from the serene river it calls home. Driven by curiosity and a mischievous spirit, the turtle hatches a clever plan to convince the cunning Coyote to give it a lift back to its aquatic abode.

The turtle, with its tiny legs paddling tirelessly, ventures into unknown territories, encountering various creatures along the way. It bravely faces challenges and obstacles, never giving up hope of returning to the safety of the river. However, as the days pass, the turtle realizes that it has strayed too far from its familiar surroundings and is now lost in a vast wilderness.

Feeling helpless and alone, the turtle decides to take a chance and approach Coyote, hoping to enlist his help in returning home. The turtle, with its innocent and trusting nature, presents itself as a helpless creature in need of assistance. It pleads with Coyote, offering to sing him a beautiful song in exchange for a ride back to the river.

Coyote, known for his quick wit and cunning nature, is initially skeptical of the turtle's request. He sees through the turtle's disguise and realizes that it is merely trying to trick him. However, Coyote's curiosity gets the better of him, and he decides to play along with the turtle's scheme.

With a mischievous grin, Coyote agrees to give the turtle a lift back to the river. The turtle, overjoyed and relieved, hops onto Coyote's back, feeling secure and comfortable. Coyote, however, has other plans in mind.

As they journey together, Coyote begins to tire of the turtle's constant chatter and requests that it keep quiet. The turtle, unable to contain its excitement, continues to talk and sing, oblivious to Coyote's growing frustration.

Meanwhile, the sun begins to set, casting a warm orange glow over the landscape. The turtle, feeling tired and sleepy, requests to be let off at the nearest riverbank. Coyote, sensing an opportunity, agrees to drop the turtle off but with a twist.

As they approach the riverbank, Coyote suddenly sprints in the opposite direction, leaving the turtle behind. The turtle, shocked and confused, realizes that it has been tricked once again by the cunning Coyote.

Feeling defeated and disheartened, the turtle sits on the riverbank, reflecting on its foolishness and the consequences of its actions. It learns a valuable lesson about the importance of staying close to its natural habitat and the dangers of trusting strangers.

From that day on, the turtle becomes more cautious and aware of its surroundings. It stays close to the river, where it feels safe and protected. It also learns to be more discerning in its interactions with other creatures, avoiding those who may have malicious intentions.

The story of the turtle and Coyote serves as a reminder of the importance of wisdom, caution, and the power of intelligence. It teaches us that sometimes, the most unlikely heroes can be found in the most unexpected places, and that it is essential to be aware of our surroundings and to trust our instincts.

This story is part of Reading Champion, a series carefully linked to book bands to encourage independent reading skills, developed with Dr. Sue Bodman and Glen Franklin of the UCL Institute of Education (IOE). Reading Champion offers independent reading books for children to practice and reinforce their developing reading skills. Fantastic stories are accompanied by engaging artwork and a reading activity. Each book has been carefully graded so that it can be matched to a child's reading ability, encouraging reading for pleasure.

Weight: 66g
Dimension: 147 x 210 x 5 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781445184142