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Who Wants a Tortoise?
by
Could there be any better pet than a puppy? One young girl is about to find out. From beloved author Dave Keane and acclaimed illustrator K.G. Campbell, a laugh-out-loud story of unexpected friendship!
When the spunky, loveable narrator receives a tortoise for her birthday, instead of the cuddly puppy she’s longed for her entire life, she’s more than a little ...more
When the spunky, loveable narrator receives a tortoise for her birthday, instead of the cuddly puppy she’s longed for her entire life, she’s more than a little ...more
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Hardcover, 40 pages
Published
July 19th 2016
by Knopf Books for Young Readers
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4.5 stars
This is a cute little book that answers the questions of: What is a tortoise really thinking? and Will we ever know? The young girl, who is the subject of this piece, really wants a puppy for her birthday and thinks and dreams about all of the great things that she could do with her new puppy friend that she can only assure she is getting for her birthday. However, her father is allergic to dogs and the most her parents can settle on is a tortoise. The young girl is not too thrilled at ...more
This is a cute little book that answers the questions of: What is a tortoise really thinking? and Will we ever know? The young girl, who is the subject of this piece, really wants a puppy for her birthday and thinks and dreams about all of the great things that she could do with her new puppy friend that she can only assure she is getting for her birthday. However, her father is allergic to dogs and the most her parents can settle on is a tortoise. The young girl is not too thrilled at ...more
A little girl has been longing for a puppy for her entire life. She has lists of dog names, read about training, and dreamed about life with a puppy. So when she opens the box with holes in the top on her birthday, she is dismayed to discover a tortoise inside. Her father had told her he was allergic to dogs, but she had still dreamed of having one. Now she has a cold-blooded reptile. She has no ideas for names for him, so she doesn’t name him anything. She figures out that he can’t play fetch,
...more
Skip this one and read Sparky or Prudence Wants a Pet instead.
Jan 22, 2019
Relyn
rated it
it was amazing
Recommends it for:
first and second graders
Recommended to Relyn by:
Show Me nominating committee
Shelves:
library-lessons
This adorable picture book is a Show Me nominee this year. I love the way our little narrator slowly falls in love with her not-the-puppy-I-wanted tortoise. Fantastic!
After reading this I think I may want a tortoise
...more
I think I still just what a dog but it might have changed other kids minds!!!!
Okay, but seriously, parents - do what mine did and have an actual conversation about why puppies/dogs are impractical for the family, don't just get your kid something they never wanted but still expect them to take care of.
(Also, don't paint a tortoise's shell or nails. Bad!)
Anyhow, ranting aside, I liked this book. I like that our young narrator made the best of things, and even got quite attached to her pet. I like the focus on finding silver linings, dealing with disappointment without ...more
(Also, don't paint a tortoise's shell or nails. Bad!)
Anyhow, ranting aside, I liked this book. I like that our young narrator made the best of things, and even got quite attached to her pet. I like the focus on finding silver linings, dealing with disappointment without ...more
My sons and I read this book critically since we are tortoise owners, but found nothing that did not ring true. Clearly Keane knows and loves his own pet tortoise, Shelly, and this tale of a little girl who badly wants a puppy but gets a different, rather alien kind of pet instead, is adorable. She is slowly converted to the unique and unusual traits of her tortoise, and soon can't imagine life without him. Fabulous and funny art captures that almost inexpressive, wrinkly little tortoise face.
A little girl desperately wants a puppy for a pet, but finds herself the new owner of a tortoise. It takes a while for her to see the tortoise's charms, but they become the best of friends.
Watercolor and colored pencil illustrations. Great story, fun read aloud for PreK-2.
Watercolor and colored pencil illustrations. Great story, fun read aloud for PreK-2.
Learning to love what you have and love things for what they are . A little girl wants a puppy for her birthday and gets a tortoise instead. She learned that tortoises can be amazing just like dogs, just in a different way.
Finally! A book I enjoyed! On this year’s short list for the Kentucky Bluegrass Awards preschool list, this title runs the gamut of emotions involved in taking care of a pet, especially one you never thought you wanted. Highly recommended for purchase
This book was enjoyable mostly because the main character mirrors my daughter in both behavior and fashion sense. Lots of stomping and scowling. Very reluctant to accept a pet she did not want. It takes a long time to finally learn to love the tortoise.
The expressions and body language of this little girl are priceless. Also, I support any book that has the protagonist employ both duct tape and Sparkly Raspberry nail polish.
Nov 19, 2016
Barbara
rated it
liked it
Shelves:
conflict,
friendship,
compassion,
animals,
families,
humor,
loss,
nature,
unusual-pets,
pets
As is the case with many youngsters, the narrator desperately wants a puppy and is sure that her wishes will come true on her birthday. To her disappointment, her parents give her a tortoise. Her tortoise cannot do any of the things that a dog could do. Still, over time, she starts to see that there are plenty of interesting aspects to her new pet. Everything changes when the tortoise disappears, and the narrator desperately searches for him. When he finally returns, having had quite an
...more
Don't it always see to go that you don't know what you've got till it's gone ...
A little girl desperately wants a puppy, like her friends have, but her father is allergic to dogs. Not consulting her (I noticed) her parents surprise her with a tortoise. She's not happy. She learns all the ways that a tortoise is unsatisfactory compared to a dog, but the chance to hold a tortoise does very well at the lemonade stand. Just when she's beginning to enjoy "Tortoise" - he disappears and she realizes ...more
A little girl desperately wants a puppy, like her friends have, but her father is allergic to dogs. Not consulting her (I noticed) her parents surprise her with a tortoise. She's not happy. She learns all the ways that a tortoise is unsatisfactory compared to a dog, but the chance to hold a tortoise does very well at the lemonade stand. Just when she's beginning to enjoy "Tortoise" - he disappears and she realizes ...more
The main character asks for a dog for her birthday, but the box with holes in the top contains...a tortoise? It turns out that tortoises cannot do a lot of the things that dogs do, but they can do some things that are kind of great. A cute story with funny details. The illustrations are just okay, but I feel like the author really has a sense of how to imbue that crucial sweetness of details and humour into his writing, which comes through every few pages. Not amazing, but pretty good. I feel
...more
I read this since it was on the State Award list and it was very interesting to see how this little girl wanted a puppy for her birthday and even some of her friends bring her puppy items as gifts. She obviously is not happy to receive a tortoise instead...she forgets that her dad is allergic to puppy fur.
I like that the author makes comparisons to both animals which is great when telling a story to EL school age children. Favorite part of the story is when she paints the tortoise's toe nails ...more
I like that the author makes comparisons to both animals which is great when telling a story to EL school age children. Favorite part of the story is when she paints the tortoise's toe nails ...more
This cute children's story is about a young girl who wished for a puppy as her birthday present, which to her disappointment does not come true. Instead, she receives a pet tortoise because her dad is allergic to dogs. Filled with humor, This requires a list of don'ts for the girl to know about what tortoises do not do, such as don't like your face, don't roll over, don't fetch, and don't beg for bologna. Soon on the tortoise becomes missing which requires flyers to be put up all around town
...more
The illustrations in the book really bring the story to life and made my kids and I laugh a lot. Even the inside of the book cover has clever illustrations contrasting the girl's attitude about having a tortoise for a pet in the beginning and end of the story. I think it is a great book to talk about how a person's ideas and opinions can change with experience and knowledge. We even talked a little about stereotypes. This library book was requested many times and it isn't a book I mind reading
...more
The girl reminded me as a kid. I wanted a dog, got a fish. Yay. I liked the girl was Asian but didn't like her attitude. I also didn't care for the improper treatment of the animal. The kid is left to her own devices with the tortoise and makes me glad they didn't get her a dog. I didnt come away thinking a tortoise is a cool pet to have.
A unicorn named Sparkle seemed a have a more solid plot and alot more fun.
A unicorn named Sparkle seemed a have a more solid plot and alot more fun.
The young girl wants a dog for her birthday and is surprised to get a tortoise instead. She struggles to figure out how a tortoise can be a good pet. She learns to love her tortoise and they have plenty of adventures together.
This read aloud is a great example for a character changing over time. Also, it lends itself easily to drawing conclusions and inferences as the illustrations enhance the story by adding more than the text. We had great discussions with this book in my classes.
As a turtle owner (not a tortoise, I know, but close), I felt really bad for the poor tortoise that wasn't wanted by the little girl. But I think the book tells a nice story about how something may not be exactly what you wanted or hoped for, but is exactly what you end up needing. Adorable :)
Fun read aloud about getting used to a tortoise for PreK-2.
This story is so cute! I used it for an elementary story time, and it went over like gangbusters.
Good book for talking to kids about character development and how your perspective can change.
Feb 22, 2017
Katie Birkner
added it
Love the painted toe nails
We don’t always get what we want. So goes the theme of “Who Wants a Tortoise,” a catchy picture book by Dave Keane.
Illustrations by K.G. Campbell depict a little brunette, and establish her problem on the title page, where the girl reclines on a bone-shaped, furry rug reading “My Puppy and Me!”
It’s clear from the get-go this kid’s in for a let down, “I’ve been waiting my whole life to get a puppy, a rascally guy with a waggly tail,” she exclaims.
The girl’s parents have a different plan when ...more
Illustrations by K.G. Campbell depict a little brunette, and establish her problem on the title page, where the girl reclines on a bone-shaped, furry rug reading “My Puppy and Me!”
It’s clear from the get-go this kid’s in for a let down, “I’ve been waiting my whole life to get a puppy, a rascally guy with a waggly tail,” she exclaims.
The girl’s parents have a different plan when ...more
Interesting idea for a story. A little girl who wants a puppy gets a tortoise for her birthday. Not something she wanted, but she tries to discover just what can a tortoise do? Not much of anything that a puppy can, but when the tortoise disappears during a game of hide-n-seek a strange thing happens. The little girl misses the tortoise. Well written text with some fun twists. The main character never has a name we know of, but the supporting characters all do. It seems in books, movies, tv and
...more
Keane, Dave Who Wants a Tortoise? Illustrated by K.G. Campbell Alred A. Knopf, 2016. $17.99 Content: G.
The adorable little girl in this book has been asking for a puppy her entire life. She has a birthday party but when she opens her present with the breathing holes in it, she is disappointed to find a tortoise. The girl’s father is allergic to dogs and so this is the animal he gives her. After pointing out all the ways that her tortoise has disappointed her, she comes up with inventive ways to ...more
The adorable little girl in this book has been asking for a puppy her entire life. She has a birthday party but when she opens her present with the breathing holes in it, she is disappointed to find a tortoise. The girl’s father is allergic to dogs and so this is the animal he gives her. After pointing out all the ways that her tortoise has disappointed her, she comes up with inventive ways to ...more
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