A day in the life of a box turtle begins as he crawls out of the log where he spent the night and heads for the pond. He passes the day searching for grapes and hunting worms. When a raccoon overturns the turtle and eats all of his worms, the turtle tries to catch grasshoppers and to find more grapes. He burrows into another nesting spot for the night.

Magnificent gouache paintings depict a turtle's-eye view of the pond and the woods surrounding it. The illustrations in borderless, horizontal two-page spreads are so realistic that one almost reaches out to feel the turtle's textured shell. Small details of lichen, moss, pine needles, insects and headless worms make the scenes naturally authentic. Although at times the turtle seems to blend into his surroundings, he stands out clearly once located. The book's design is excellent; even the well-chosen type, superimposed on the illustrations so that there is no visual break, is clear and easily read.