The Turnip

Written and illustrated by Jan Brett

A giant turnip resists a badger family's efforts, hiding a surprising secret underground.

4.0 Goodreads · 1,058 ratings

32 pages· 420 words· Est. 4 min read-aloud· AD610L

$17.99Save 6%

In stock. Also at Amazon or Bookshop.

Bookroo's summary

In snowy rural Russia, a badger family and their friends struggle to uproot a stubborn giant turnip. As a rooster's bold attempt sends him skyward, the real mystery lies beneath the soil. Unbeknownst to them, a mother bear has kicked the turnip up to make room for her winter den. Will the animals discover the secret behind the turnip's resistance, or will the bear's plan remain hidden? This whimsical twist on a classic folktale promises laughter and surprises with every turn of the page.

From the publisher

In a rollicking, cumulative tale, a badger family and their friends–Hedgie, Mr. Ram and Vanya, the horse–struggle to pull up a giant turnip. A cocky rooster steps in and pulls, sending him into the air, holding onto the turnip. No one knows that a mother bear in her underground den has kicked the turnip up through the soil to give the family room to sleep through the winter.

Once again Jan Brett brings an original twist to a favorite folktale. Snow covers the farm in rural Russia as badgers and friends in old-fashioned clothes, and bears marching through bright-colored borders, send young readers laughing from page to page.

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