If the author’s name seems familiar, you’re right. Legendary folk singer Pete Seeger introduces his famous song "Turn,
Turn, Turn" to another media and age group in the children’s book, Turn! Turn! Turn! Seeger originally
wrote the song after adapting it from the Book of Ecclesiastes. The Byrds made the song a big hit in the
1960’s.
The book includes two versions of Seeger’s "Turn, Turn, Turn": Seeger’s tempo a slower, thoughtful prose, and
the Byrds’ popular, upbeat song. The book's beginning shows a door wide open to an inviting, grassy field. Illustrator
Wendy Anderson Halperin deserves praise for depicting difficult and sometimes vague topics as imaginative pictures.
A circle covers both pages facing the reader, with each half portraying one side of the lyrics. The illustrations
depict the prose, such as "Time to build, time to tear down." The page division separates the opposing ideas.
The illustrations are filled with people of all nationalities and abilities. The "Time to Weep" shows a school
bus pulling away from a curb, as well as the faithful at the Wailing Wall. Each half includes different-sized
shapes, and it is fun to find a picture’s opposite on the other page. The illustrations are kid friendly, bright,
and thoughtful.
Turn! Turn! Turn! does not fit with typical read-along books, since the lyrics are too fast to look
through the corresponding pictures. Young kids will enjoy listening to the upbeat songs and discovering new ideas
through the pictures. Older kids can benefit from discussing the more complex topics such as peace or hate.
My tween-aged son enjoyed finding the opposites on each page, plus guessing the larger meaning behind the
illustrations. We played the CD in its entirety, then listened as we discovered the world of wonder among the pages.
Enjoy Turn! Turn! Turn!, a book that opens your heart and your soul!