The Dream of the Tortoise by Nyako Nakar - Book Tour & Review
The Dream of the Tortoise
By Nyako Nakar
Summary:
This is the story of a tortoise with very big dreams.
Information about the Book
Title: The Dream of the Tortoise
Author: Nyako Nakar
Release Date: 30th April 2019
Genre: Picture Book
Page Count: 36
Publisher: Clink Street Publishing
My Review
The Dream of the Tortoise is a beautifully illustrated story about a tortoise who dreams about being able to swim in the ocean. Unfortunately for her, she's not built right for that. It isn't until she meets a couple of turtles that she discovers there is someone who may be able to help her live her dream. A visit to a mystical, ancient turtle sets Tortoise's dream in motion. Does she succeed in making her dream come true? You'll have to read the book and find out.
I did think the story was a good lesson in reaching for your dreams and focusing on ways to make them come true. Unfortunately, I feel like the lesson in this was a little too dark for kids. Maybe I read it wrong, but... **spoilers ahead** the ancient turtle tells Tortoise she has to stop eating and learn to breathe a different way if she ever wants to swim in the ocean. So Tortoise follows the advice to a T, going so far as to wasting away to nothing almost, with ants finding her and biting her/nibbling on her because she smells bad, almost like she's dead. I found the few pages before the end to be a bit horrifying (Tortoise talks about how awful she feels because of the burning sun and having not eaten in ages; plus, the ants are a bit of a graphic touch). To me, the story's lesson is saying you can only live your dream if you're willing to change everything about yourself and abandon all of your friends (Tortoise has a friend at the start of the story, but they never come back). I just think it's a bit too dark for my liking.
I did like most of the story, though, and the illustrations are lovely, so because of that, I am rating The Dream of the Tortoise three stars.
Author Information
When I was a child, I had many problems in school. I had a hard time concentrating and committing things to memory and was hyperactive – characteristics that would be recognised today as typical of someone with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
I sat as far back as possible in the class and while the teacher talked and talked about things that I didn’t understand, I drew – though from a distance the teacher may have thought I was making notes on what he was saying. Quite often the teacher noticed and punished me or expelled me from class.
I had a lot of imagination and that helped me to create many different stories.
Later, after studying graphic design and working in advertising, I changed course and decided to dedicate myself to theatre and dance. I studied at the Theatre Institute of Barcelona and soon after I joined The Lindsay Kemp Company, where I worked for many years and in parallel created my own theatre company.
In the 1990’s I left the theatre and immersed myself once again in graphic design, starting to work on 3D computer design programmes.
I am also very interested in the world of meditation and healing and I travelled all over the world, getting to know other cultures and investigating Shamanism, especially in India and Mexico. I conducted many workshops in Spain on how to use silence to encourage creativity.
Today I continue to love the world of drawing and children’s stories and I have many drawings and writings to edit in the future.
Since 2017 I have lived in London and found the peace and tranquillity to work and to make my dreams come true.
Tour Schedule
Monday 6th May
Tuesday 7th May
Wednesday 8th May
Thursday 9th May
Friday 10th May
Saturday 11th May
Sunday 12th May
Monday 13th May
Tuesday 14th May
Wednesday 15th May
Thursday 16th May
Friday 17th May
Saturday 18th May
Sunday 19th May
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