She's cute. She's confident. She has places to be

Adventures
of Tertl

Based on a true tortoise.

A children's coloring book series about a real Russian tortoise who lives in a handbuilt garden kingdom in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Every adventure is real. The dandelions were not harmed.

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The Great Garden Escape — Book 1 cover

The Series

Adventures of Tertl.

Every adventure is based on real tortoise behavior. Tertl isn't a character. She's a real Russian tortoise who lives in a hand-built garden kingdom in Saint Paul, Minnesota. These are her stories.

The Great Garden Escape — Book 1 cover Available Now
Book 1
The Great Garden Escape
Buy on Amazon
The Big Dig — Book 2 cover Coming July 1, 2026
Book 2
The Big Dig
Notify Me

Sampler · Book 1

Peek inside.

Full book includes 25 pages of Tertl and her garden kingdom.

Book page
Cover

"She has never once been impressed by a cat."

Shop

The full shop.

Books, prints, stickers, and puzzles. All Tertl, all the time.

Adventures of Tertl coloring books
Books

Coloring books on Amazon. Book 1 available now. Book 2 arrives July 1, 2026. $11.99 each. (She went outside. She found a dandelion. This was a great day.)

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Tertl art print — Beyond the Fence
Art Prints

Three full-color high-res art prints on Etsy. Available in 8×10, 11×14, and 16×20. $17.99–$37.99. Printed by Printify and shipped direct. Confidence: Immense.

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Tertl character sticker pack
Stickers

Die-cut sticker sheets in character, garden, and accessory packs. 6x4" sheets. Use as-is or cut apart. 30-45 stickers per sheet. Prices vary as tagged on Etsy.

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Tertl puzzle illustration
Puzzles

Tertl puzzles in 30, 252, and 520 pieces. Crayon-style illustrations featuring art from The Great Garden Escape. Prices vary as tagged on Etsy.

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Tertl — Russian tortoise, Saint Paul MN

Meet Tertl

She lives in a kingdom
built just for her.

Tertl is a real Russian tortoise (Testudo horsfieldii). She lives in a hand-built garden kingdom in Saint Paul, Minnesota, where she spends her days investigating dandelions, roaming her kingdom, and ignoring the squirrels entirely. 

Every story in this series happened. Mostly.

Species: Russian tortoise (Testudo horsfieldii)
Residence: Saint Paul, Minnesota
Known for: Finding gaps in fences that shouldn't exist. Digging. Impatience. Wanted for crimes against strawberries.
Cat opinion: Unimpressed

All adventures are real. The dandelions were not harmed.
...The strawberries were.

J.J. Hyatt — author portrait

About the Author

J.J. Hyatt

J.J. Hyatt lives in Saint Paul, Minnesota, with the love of his life, K.C., Tertl the tortoise, Koshka the cat, and Hank the dog. He and K.C. built Tertl's kingdom over eight years because she deserved it. He made these books for his nieces and nephew, who call him Uncle JJ, because they deserved it too.

tertlface@gmail.com

Stay in the Loop

Don't miss Book 2.

Wholesale & Retail

Stocking Adventures of Tertl

"She went outside. She found a dandelion. This was the best day."

We work with reptile shops, nature centers, zoo gift shops, and specialty children's retailers. If you think Tertl belongs in your store, we'd love to talk.