At a Tortoise's Pace

In the beginning of time, animals lived alongside humans, in the same town. It was common to see old people talking to elephants, or a child walking with a hippopotamus.

At a Turtle’s Step is a traditional African fable starring the oldest and wisest creature, patient and persevering; a story about how he managed to save all the fauna. Because neither the fast and cunning hare, nor the large and imposing elephant, nor the rhinoceros, nor the chimpanzee, nor the giraffe were able to transmit the formula for survival that, curiously, came from the boa, a creature that – in Western culture – is associated with danger, cruelty and death.
The story has an agile narrative rhythm, whose intensity is based on dialogue structures, skillful plot twists and the repetition of actions that refer to the sources of orality. Rebeca Luciani’s illustrations transport us to diverse scenarios: intense when they refer to happy times and dark in adversity, with an exuberant palette where shapes and colors combine figuration and experimentation.

Key points

• Adaptation of the traditional African story, transmitted orally from generation to generation by the Bantu.
• Addresses topics such as respect, empathy and the eradication of prejudices and stereotypes; dialogue and collaboration for the peaceful resolution of conflicts, social participation and life in harmony; and the balance of man with other species.
• The text has rhythm and musicality and is accompanied by harmonious graphic work.

Boniface Ofogo

• 2011 – IBBY Brazil, Highly Recommended by FNLIJ