“Badger and Turtle Face the Storm” by Daniel McMillan

• 09/05/2023
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Badger and Turtle Face the Storm

Daniel McMillan
Tellwell Talent (2023)
ISBN: 978-0228888116
Reviewed by Rachel Dehning for Reader Views (09/2023)

“Badger and Turtle Face the Storm” by Daniel McMillan is the story of two friends who face a storm, literally and metaphorically. Badger and Turtle are outside enjoying the day when an intense storm rolls in quickly and unexpectedly. With similar human responses, the two friends react on impulse in their unique ways – Turtle feels scared, so he digs and hides in his shell by himself; Badger feels angry and upset with Turtle’s reaction, and burrows as well, attempting to get closer to Badger. In the process, he is unaware of how his actions are affecting Turtle.

After some time, the storm doesn’t let up, yet the friends realize that it would be more beneficial for themselves and each other to communicate their feelings, wants, and needs instead of acting impulsively. Through open communication, the two decide to weather the storm, unafraid, using each other’s strengths to help them both until things are back to normal and safe.

“Badger and Turtle Face the Storm” is written by Canadian therapist and psychologist Daniel McMillan to assist a wide range of people struggling with various types of relationships – from friendships to intimate relationships. All readers should hopefully have figured out by now that being human means we are blessed and cursed with many innate emotions, and regardless of the severity, we have experienced unfortunate events either toward us or as a bystander.

Every happening in a person’s life shapes them, big or small. This can be surprising when unexpected reactions occur, causing internal/biological changes in the rewiring of our brains thanks to environmental or social factors. When the situational choices become more intense or concerning, it is beneficial to remember that there is help, and sometimes, it is as simple as using your words instead of becoming physical.

The story’s message is loud and clear, or else understandable to be learned for the first time, especially when McMillan spells it out for the reader at the end. Using animals as the main characters instead of humans doesn’t lessen the moral shared while making it understood as not directed toward any specific reader but more generalized for a wider audience.

Note from Lydia (age 9) – I enjoyed reading “Badger and Turtle Face the Storm,” I thought it was a good story because of how the two friends worked together in the end and everything worked out. I could understand during the story when the friends weren’t getting along and what was wrong, and then I understood how they made things better among themselves. Kids of any age will enjoy this story because everyone gets scared and argues, and it is good for them to know how to feel better.