Overview

From the creator of While You’re Asleep comes a hilarious pourquoi story about a burrowing tortoise and her mouse best friend—as well as mishaps, misunderstandings, and the friendships you make along the way. Tortoise and Mouse are more than just friends and burrowmates. They are best friends and best burrowmates. When their home gets flooded, however, it’s up to Tortoise to dig them a new place to live. And so she digs a room of her own and a room for Mouse. But where is Mouse? Noticing the fresh burrow, Bunny asks Tortoise if she could dig a room for her as well. Then the Spotted Skunk. The Mole Skinks. And the Wolf Spider, the Frog, and those moths…So Tortoise digs. Seemingly everyone else wants to be her burrowmate except for Mouse—where did she go?

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9781665931359

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Reviews

""The sweet story, inspired by actual behavior of gopher tortoises and the Florida mice, begs to be read aloud with its catchy repetition and dramatic moments. Young readers will dig this cozy, creative exploration of expanding friendships."" -- <I>Booklist</I> ""An entertaining read-aloud that will encourage kids to dig even deeper."" -- <I>Kirkus Reviews</I>

B&N Best Picture Books of 2025 Selection ""Kastner’s art utilizes multiple techniques well: splotchy watercolors make up Tortoise’s colorful shell, colored pencil details the animals’ tufts of fur, and unblended pastels lend texture and depth to the dirt surrounding the burrow...The text repeats a refrain of “So Tortoise dug” with the successive list of rooms Tortoise has made for the animals, giving this plenty of storytime potential that would allow kiddos to pick up on the pattern and jump in."" -- <I>The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books</I> ""The sweet story, inspired by actual behavior of gopher tortoises and the Florida mice, begs to be read aloud with its catchy repetition and dramatic moments. Young readers will dig this cozy, creative exploration of expanding friendships."" -- <I>Booklist</I> ""An entertaining read-aloud that will encourage kids to dig even deeper."" -- <I>Kirkus Reviews</I>

Author Information

Emmy Kastner is an author and illustrator of children’s books. A former high school teacher, Emmy taught English and science in San Francisco. Upon moving back to Michigan, she cofounded the youth writing center Read and Write Kalamazoo (RAWK). RAWK is devoted to celebrating and amplifying youth voices through the cultivation of reading and writing skills via joy, creativity, equity, and access. Emmy lives in Kalamazoo, Michigan, with her husband and three kids, their dog, and two cats. She spends most days writing and making art in her studio above her family’s coffee shop.

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