In the days when Nantucket whaling ships could be away at sea for years at a time, a vessel's safe return was celebrated by all the inhabitants of the island. Runners would carry the joyous news as soon as the vessel was sighted from the island's highest point. When Obadiah is hired for this important task, his little sister Rachel is certain that she can be trusted with such a mission as well. Their childlike competition plays out in a delightful story of determination and sportsmanship. Illustrated with Turkle's whimsical watercolor illustrations throughout.

Beautiful Feet Books, in cooperation with The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art and Brinton Turkle's grown children--Matilda Rubin, and Haynes and Jonathan Turkle--are delighted to present these new 2018 editions of the Obadiah books for the next generation of readers. Working with Mr. Turkle's original charcoal and watercolor paintings, we have endeavored to restore the integrity, clarity, and beauty of the artist's work. We too hope these restored editions will play a small part in cultivating the future Mr. Turkle envisioned.

About the Author: 

Brinton Turkle was born on August 15, in Alliance, Ohio. He drew constantly in school. "Unfortunately, none of my school teachers appreciated it. If only one elementary school teacher had egged me on, I think I would have acquired art skills much earlier than I did." Turkle had an immense interest in the theatre, but the uncertainty of that life wasn't appealing. After a job in advertising in Chicago, he married and moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico, where he was able to indulge his theatrical interests. He had an ambition to write and illustrate three children's books so he could dedicate them to each of his three children. He was awarded a Caldecott Honor in 1970 for Thy Friend, Obadiah. 

Turkle wrote, "In writing, I use all sorts of tricks to capture the attention of my young audience: suspense, humor and even charm, when I can muster it. But no matter how successfully I may entertain, I am really up to something else: subversion. My abilities are implacably lined up against the hypocrisy, materialism and brutality that so pervade our society. As my readers leave childhood behind, I hope that they will carry with them an appreciation for such alternatives as integrity, mutual respect, kindness and reverence for life. These alternatives are in my books and I pray that exposure to them will play a part in the construction of a better tomorrow." *Taken from an article by Martha Valainis in The Children's Literature Network.