Bubby’s Puddle Pond

WHAT IS THIS BOOK ABOUT?

Children who learn how to rely on friends and themselves when they’re young turn out to be happier adults. Bubby’s Puddle Pond: A Tortuga’s Tale of the Desert tells how Bubby, a young desert tortoise, moves outside his solitary shoebox and into an unfamiliar world, making friends who band together for safety, comfort and companionship. Along the way, Bubby realizes that just as he can trust his friends, he can trust himself, too.

WHAT MAKES THIS BOOK UNIQUE?

Based on a mixture of fiction and the real-life behaviors of animals, Bubby’s Puddle Pond: A Tortuga’s Tale of the Desert takes place in a geographically unique part of the world, the Sonoran Desert. The author uses simple yet evocative terms to paint a picture of the American Southwest’s unusual flora and fauna. Intending the book to be used as a learning tool, Hageman highlights these terms and defines them in a glossary. She also provides a fact sheet and curriculum guide at the end of the book for use in the classroom or further enrichment at home.

Bubbly’s Puddle Pond is much more than a children’s book. It is also a reference, an educational curriculum, and a resource that creatively encourages children and adults to explore their curiosity about desert tortoises and the natural world.”

— Mike Demlong, Wildlife Education Program Manager, Arizona Game and Fish Department

“Young readers will enjoy this charming tale of friendship as Bubby, the desert tortoise, settles into life in his new home. A variety of native southwestern desert animals join Bubby in the cycle of desert seasons. Readers are introduced to vocabulary related to desert animals and their habitat. The author and illustrator reinforce the vibrancy of the Sonoran Desert with a warm, caring, delightful story of friendship in an Arizona backyard.”

— Martha Takacs, M. Ed., National Board Certified