The day I stopped at the pet shop to buy fish food for my Beta, I didn’t know I would leave with a new friend the size of a hamburger.
The store was busy that day. Dads and moms lifted their children to peer through the tanks at the colorful fish while other families crowded the bird room to consider adopting a parrot or a budgie. Seeing the long line at the register, I decided to look around and return when fewer people were checking out.
The reptile room was new to me and was also the least populated by shoppers. In the first terrarium, a group of sleepy lizards sunned themselves under a heat lamp. Further down, an iguana approached its food dish. As I watched lettuce pieces disappear into its mouth, a rhythmic thump-thump-thump caught my attention. I listened and decided the sound was coming from somewhere close to the ground. I looked into the terrarium on the lowest shelf and knew the tiny gecko couldn’t make such a sound.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
I got down lower to the ground, and what I saw hurt my heart. Another terrarium stood behind the gecko’s terrarium, completely out of sight and inaccessible. Through the shadows, I spotted a lonely tortoise, trying to climb the glass wall to escape. Each time it managed to raise its front legs against the glass, it slid back down with a thump. I couldn’t blame the tortoise for trying to escape its prison. A dirty bark floor surrounded a water bowl that offered a brown puddle, and the little food dish held a wilted lettuce fragment. The tortoise stopped climbing to look at me through its crusted eyes. I didn’t need time to consider my next move.
I found the manager and directed his attention to the neglected animal in his care.
“He’s sick,” the manager said. “When he’s better, we’ll put him out for sale.”
“How is he supposed to get better without clean food or water?” I asked. “And how is he supposed to get clean food and water when his terrarium is out of sight and out of reach?”
“I’ll have someone take care of it today,” he said.
As the manager walked away, I pulled out the gecko terrarium and reached back for the terrarium with the tortoise.
“What are you doing?” the manager demanded.
“I’m buying this tortoise,” I said.
“I told you he’s sick, and I’m not selling him until he’s better,” the manager snapped. “Besides, you don’t know anything about caring for a tortoise.”
“It doesn’t look like you do, either.” I took out the tortoise and held him close. “Along with this tortoise, you can also sell me a book about tortoise care, a water dish, a food dish, a heat lamp, and a terrarium.”
To this day, I don’t know if the manager agreed because of my determination or my watery eyes.
One month later, my new friend was completely well and exploring the garden.
Seven years later, my hamburger-sized friend is thriving and loves his morning neck massage and crunchy greens, which leads me to today’s Perfect Picture Book Friday review.
Written by – Nan Forler
Illustrated by – Yong Ling Kang
Published by – Tundra – 2022
Suitable for ages – 4-8
Theme – loss of a pet, friendhip, and compassion.
Opening –
Rodney was an old pal. He was older than Bernadette, older than her dad, even older than Great-Aunt Clara.
“He is practically prehistoric! Bernadette told her class on Pet Day.
Day after day, year after year, Rodnew was there, loyal and true.
Amazon Review – This comforting and gently humorous picture book about bereavement and the strength of friendship shows how a child overcomes the sadness of her beloved pet’s death.
Bernadette and Rodney are the best of friends. Rodney’s not so good at playing cards, but he’s great at staring contests. His favorite food is lettuce, though he eats it VERRRRRRY SLOOOOOWLY. And he’s such a joker! When Bernadette goes to sleep at night, Rodney is always there, watching over her from his tank.
As the seasons pass, Rodney moves slower and slower, until one day he stops moving at all. Without Rodney, Bernadette feels all alone. She can’t stop thinking about him, but none of her friends seem to notice. Except for Amar.
Rodney Was a Tortoise is a moving story about friendship and loss. It shows the importance of expressing kindness and empathy, especially in life’s most difficult moments.
Why do I like this book? — This tender tale takes us on the emotional journey from loss to recovery in a way children can understand. Through beautiful storytelling, the author and illustrator create a strong bond between Bernadette and Rodney–a bond so strong that when Rodney passes away, the reader feels the loss and sympathizes with Bernadette when she disappears into a sort of protective shell. With the kindness and compassion of an observant friend, Bernadette begins to express her feelings, recovers from the loss, and moves forward again.
Learn about Nan Forler HERE.
Learn more about Yong Ling Kang HERE.
How to make a sweet paper tortoise Here on Amazon.
Until next Friday,
Leslie
Leslie Leibhardt Goodman 