A picture book about a girl and her pet turtleātold from both points of viewāby the author-illustrator of The
Bear Report
An ALA/ALSC Notable Childrenās Book
āA charming story of the bond between child and pet.ā Booklist
STARRED REVIEW *āBeautiful, expressive watercolor illustrations . . . A journey about what it means to be a
child with a new pet.ā Kirkus Reviews
Discover the friendship between a girl and her turtleāfrom both points of viewāin this award-winning picture
book that celebrates the relationship between a child and a pet.
Nia loves Alfie, her pet turtle. But heās not very soft, he doesnāt do tricks, and heās pretty quiet. Sometimes she
forgets heās even thereāthat is, until the night before her seventh birthday, when . . . Alfie disappears!
Where did he go? And why? Nia canāt say . . . but Alfie can. This is his story, and the narrative switches to Alfieās
perspective, as the brave turtle goes on the hunt for the perfect gift for Niaās birthday.
He explores the house, encountering the family dog, then ventures out onto the fire escape, down into the yard,
and through a sandbox until he grows cold and tired. A friendly snail suggests that Alfie take a nap in the pond
in the yard.
Young readers will see the passage of time through the change in seasons from fall to winter and then spring
in colorful illustrations. Alfie wakes up from his nap and emerges from the pond in time to celebrate what Alfie
believes is Niaās seventh birthday. Readers will delight to see the two reunited and will notice that it is, actually,
Niaās eighth birthday, as the number indicates on her birthday balloon.
Parents and their children will embrace this warm, colorful, and funny picture book that celebrates friendship,
even when the friends see the relationshipāand the worldāvery differently.