Truman

by Jean Reidy (Author) Lucy Ruth Cummins (Illustrator)

Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade
After his best friend Sarah leaves for her first day of school, a tortoise named Truman goes on an adventure across the living room and learns to be brave in this thoughtful and heartwarming twist on a first experience story.

Truman the tortoise lives with his Sarah, high above the taxis and the trash trucks and the number eleven bus, which travels south. He never worries about the world below...until one day, when Sarah straps on a big backpack and does something Truman has never seen before. She boards the bus! Truman waits for her to return. He waits. And waits. And waits. And when he can wait no longer, he knows what he must do. Even if it seems...impossible!

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Publishers Weekly

Truman's a tortoise; he's "small, the size of a donut--a small donut--and every bit as sweet." A perceptive fellow, he senses change one morning as his owner Sarah eats "a big banana with her breakfast" and "strapped on a backpack SOOOOOO big, thirty-two small tortoises could ride along." Specific quantities confer verisimilitude to this tale by Reidy (Pup 681): "Sarah placed seven green beans in Truman's dish--two more than usual!" Then Sarah "kissed her finger and touched it to his shell and whispered, 'Be brave, ' " and boards the number 11 bus. Readers know she's probably not gone forever, but Truman doesn't, and he resolves to find his way down to the bus to retrieve her. Cummins (Stumpkin) contributes expressive, thick-lined drawings that delineate cozy scenes inside and out of Sarah's city residence. The smallness of Truman's world makes his expedition appropriately daunting--and funny--as he makes his way out of his tank and toward the door. Fortunately for Truman and his new fans, he doesn't have to go too far to find his person. Observational humor, clear affection between Truman and Sarah, and bold adventure make this a memorable pet-owner love story. Ages 4-8. (July)

Copyright 2019 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

School Library Journal

Starred Review

PreS-Gr 1--"Truman was small, the size of a donut--a small donut--and every bit as sweet" accurately describes a turtle who has a very close relationship with his Sarah. The tiny reptile knows something's up when Sarah gives him extra green beans, buttons up a brand new sweater, takes a large backpack and leaves the apartment. Though she's left him before, he's unsettled by the activities of the morning, especially when he sees her through the window boarding a city bus. After waiting "a thousand hours," and she still hasn't returned, he makes the decision to go after her. His plans on how to get out of his aquarium, leave the apartment and board a bus make for an entertaining tale of love and (temporary) loss. Charming and humorous illustrations were created using gouache, colored pencil, charcoal and brush marker and finished digitally. Tiny Truman is endearing and his adoration, concern, and determination are reflected on his little face. VERDICT A heartwarming tale of devotion that will be enjoyed by children and their adults.--Maryann H. Owen, Oak Creek Public Library, WI

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

An enchanting tale of bravery, heroism, and undying devotion. —The New York Times Book Review
Jean Reidy
Jean Reidy once lived high above honking taxis, growling trash trucks, shrieking cars, and, of course, buses traveling in every direction. And she might like to again someday. But for now, she writes from her home in Colorado, right across the street from her neighborhood library, which she loves. Her fun, lively, and award-winning picture books have earned their spots as favorites among readers and listeners of all ages. Admittedly, she's never had a tortoise...but over the years she has resided with a not-so-well-behaved assortment of turtles, parakeets, lizards, goldfish, hamsters, and even one feisty fire-bellied toad. Visit Jean online at JeanReidy.com.

Lucy Ruth Cummins is an author, an illustrator, and an art director of children's books. Her debut picture book, A Hungry Lion, or A Dwindling Assortment of Animals, was a finalist for the Governor General's Award, an Irma Black Honor Book, and an ALA Notable Book. She is also the author-illustrator of Stumpkin. As a little girl, she had a turtle for a pet, but he ran away. Really. She lives with her little family in Brooklyn, New York.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9781534416642
Lexile Measure
560
Guided Reading Level
N
Publisher
Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Publication date
July 09, 2019
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV019000 - Juvenile Fiction | Humorous Stories
JUV039090 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | New Experience
JUV002240 - Juvenile Fiction | Animals | Turtles
Library of Congress categories
Human-animal relationships
Friendship
Pets
Girls
Turtles
An NPR Favorite Book of 2019
A New York Times Best Children's book of 2019
A Kirkus Reviews Best Picture Book of 2019
A School Library Journal Best Picture Book of 2019

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