Photo by Gail Kushner Author Delphina Nova

This tale is literally a dream within a dream. On Oct. 27, 2009, Nova was visiting some of her Navajo friends. Her dream was so vivid with such a compelling message she told the dream to children the next morning. Upon hearing the dream of a turtle who had a prophetic dream, the children told her it had to be shared not just with family, but with the world.

Nova wrote the book and contacted illustrator Curtis Yanito to draw some quick sketches and some full color renditions of scenes from the dream. Perhaps sharing a Native American spiritual connection is what made the two such a good team. Nova is from the Algonquin/Abernaki Eastern Woodlands Tribe and Yanito from the Navajo Nation.

"I wanted something childlike. I wanted something the inner child in adults can relate to. But I also wanted some of [the illustrations] to be a little realistic, earth shaking. How the animals tried to talk to the people who did not listen. I was trying to get the impact out. And he did it really well," Nova said.

"It's the creator who is the artist. I just appreciate what he's created everyday. I love nature," Yanito has said of his award-winning illustrations.

In finding a publisher, Nova found a perfect fit with Open Books Press whose children's and educational books are reaching into the world shining a light on environmental, indigenous and earth ecology issues. "Turtle's Dream" was released Dec. 3, 2010.

Since then Nova has been taking the book into Arizona classrooms and summer camps. She has found that children of all ages understand the pictures and teenagers relate to the story and say this is really about what is happening on the earth today.

Native American Wisdom Keepers are giving a green light for the book's message. "There is a way to heal the planet by coming back and listening to the animals," she explained.

"Indigenous people communicate with animals and relate to nature, the trees and water, the plants and birds. And know that the earth is an organic part of us and she is alive. What we do to the earth, we ultimately do to ourselves," Nova said. "We were living in harmony with natural laws but now we are not listening any more."

Through Turtle, Nova encourages people to choose peace as a way of life. "It is not the animals that are out of balance. It is not even nature that is out of balance. It is humans that are out of balance. That imbalance and disharmony is affecting the animals, the water, the air, the earth itself. It is time to listen again."

Nova is spending some time in Italy and Spain. She wants to have "Turtle's Dream" translated into other languages. She is looking for an animator. "Children would really love to see an animated film and I do have a sequel coming after this one."

"Turtle's Dream" has a page on Facebook, where the book can be purchased.

Finally, Nova's advice is the next time an animal speaks to you in a dream or in your waking life, observe and listen to the message it is telling you.