Thomas the Thoughtful Turtle
Thomas the Thoughtful Turtle
Big Feelings, Brave Hearts — An Alphabet Collection for Kids
By Jessica Schoettle
Thomas is a turtle who likes to think things through. He moves slowly, notices carefully, and understands feelings — both his own and those of his friends. Because of his calm and caring nature, many friends come to Thomas when they feel upset, scared, or overwhelmed.
But sometimes, helping everyone at once feels like too much.
When several friends need support at the same time, Thomas tries to fix their problems quickly. Soon, his thoughts feel busy and his shell feels heavy. As he watches gentle ripples move across the pond, Thomas begins to notice something important. Feelings, like ripples in water, need time and space to settle.
Through quiet listening, patience, and calm presence, Thomas discovers he does not need to solve every problem. Instead, he learns that simply being there, listening with care, and giving feelings room to settle can help others feel safe and understood.
This meaningful story helps children learn:
• The importance of listening and emotional support
• How patience and calm presence help others process feelings
• Healthy ways to handle feeling overwhelmed by others’ emotions
• Empathy and thoughtful communication skills
• Confidence in being a supportive friend
• Social-emotional learning through relatable storytelling
Thomas the Thoughtful Turtle is part of Big Feelings, Brave Hearts — An Alphabet Collection for Kids, a heart-centered series designed to introduce children to emotions, character strengths, and social-emotional skills through lovable animal characters and developmentally appropriate storytelling.
Each book in the series encourages meaningful conversations between children, parents, caregivers, and educators while supporting emotional growth for children ages 2–6.
Perfect for:
- Bedtime reading
- Preschool and early elementary social-emotional learning lessons
- Speech and emotional development support
- Classroom read-alouds
- Gifts for toddlers and young children
- Parents and educators teaching empathy, patience, and listening skills
Help your child discover that sometimes the best way to help others is by listening, staying calm, and giving feelings time to settle.
Thomas is ready to show them how.