Tim again mustered up courage-his pulse pattering, he poked out his little head. Seeing a large head with two glassy yellow eyes stirred feelings of dread. A fang-decorated smile left him feeling vulnerable and cold. Tension in Timmy’s tummy popped as the cat hissed, Wow, what do I behold!

In 1950s Turkey, along the banks of the Dalyan River, lives a timid, tender, tolerant, thankful, thoughtful yet socially awkward turtle. Poor Tim is misunderstood by the other animals, so he is a lonely, grumpy fellow. One day a monsoon causes the river to flood, sweeping Tim upstream where he is deposited on a furry striped rug- it’s Umit, a tiger and potential predator who offers to help him. Should Tim trust Umit? Will Umit be a tiger of his word and deliver Tim home, or will Tim have the same fate as the classic gingerbread man? Can Tim’s courage carry him to a new outlook? This charming children’s book uses rhyme and the alliterative sounds of T words to help build vocabulary while also raising awareness of the plight of the Caspian tiger and loggerhead turtle.