Barbara Hendricks, a regular leopard tortoise, has entered a running race. She knows it's not a great idea and she's ready to back out, but her owner Lorraine believes in her and Barbara is willing to give it a go. The race result might not matter for young listeners as they'll likely be rolling with giggles at the sight of the grimly determined racers slowly--slowly--making their way across several pages of panels. The richly textured mixed-media art is vibrant, balancing bright pops of color in the foreground with more subtle hues in the setting. The try-your-best message is a familiar one, but it has an irreverent freshness here. --The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (starred review) Anyone who has optimistically signed up for a fun run will see themselves in friendly faced Barbara Hendricks, the 'regular leopard tortoise' who narrates this sweetly rendered variation on Aesop's 'The Tortoise and the Hare.' . Delivers visual laughs and creates a tortoise to root for.

--Publishers Weekly Believing in yourself helps when the odds seem stacked against you, as exemplified in this clever tale. any child who has faced a seemingly impossible task will relate to Barbara, right to the end. Slow and steady? Call this tortoise shell-bent and dedicated. A charmer. --Kirkus Reviews In this fun nod to Aesop's fable, a cute tortoise with an expressive little mouth and extremely longlashes belongs to a gung-ho little girl who has signed him up for a race. the vibrant mixed-media illustrations enhance the story with comicdetails. --Booklist This ­delightful story has a hero who works hard, accepts her limitations, and perseveres ­despite the odds. Children will root for ­Barbara and hopefully capture some of her can-do spirit and hard work ethic along the way.

­. this book packs a lot of great lessons into a charming story, and is certainly one to add to the sports shelves, or the good sports shelves. --School Library Journal.