1970 Caldecott Honor Book

What was a silly seagull doing, following Obadiah around like a pet? It even spent the night roosting on the chimney opposite Obadiah's bedroom window. Obadiah was annoyed. But on a bitter winter day when Obadiah needed a friend, the seagull wasn't to be seen, and Obadiah missed it. Then, when the seagull was in trouble and Obadiah was able to help, he suddenly discovered how pleasant it was to make a friend. Glowing pictures of old Nantucket set the scene for a story full of warmth and delightful understanding of the feelings of a very real little boy.

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.