Truman

April 22, 2019
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.

Starred review from May 1, 2019
A tiny tortoise discovers just how brave he is when his girl unexpectedly takes a bus headed away from home. Truman, like his girl, Sarah, is quiet, "peaceful and pensive," unlike the busy, noisy city outside their building's window. In just the first few spreads, Reidy and Cummins manage to capture the close relationship between the girl and her pet, so it's understandable that Truman should worry when he adds up the day's mysterious clues: a big backpack, a large banana, a bow in Sarah's hair, extra green beans in Truman's dish, and, especially, Sarah boarding the No. 11 bus. He's so worried that he decides to go after her, a daunting feat for a tortoise the size of a small doughnut. Cummins' gouache, brush marker, charcoal, colored pencil, and digital illustrations marvelously convey both the big picture of Truman's navigation of the house and his tortoise's-eye view of things. And the ending, when Sarah arrives home in time to scoop him up before he slips under the front door, stuttering her amazement at his brave feats, is just right. Sarah and her mother have pale skin and straight, black hair; other city dwellers are diverse. Peaceful and pensive like Truman himself, this book charms; there's just something uplifting and wonderful about the whole package. Never underestimate the feats an animal will brave in order to be reunited with their loved ones. (Picture book. 4-8)

COPYRIGHT(2019) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Starred review from July 1, 2019

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.

June 1, 2019
Preschool-G Truman was small, the size of a donut?a small donut?and every bit as sweet. So begins the utterly heartwarming story of a tortoise and his girl, Sarah. Truman lives on a windowsill overlooking the big, loud city. When, one day, Sarah packs up her bag and boards a bus, Truman decides to do the impossible and go after her. He manages to escape his tank, journeying out over the couch and across the endless rug, but he finds that the world is much bigger and scarier without Sarah. Just as he prepares to go outside and board the bus, the front door opens, and Sarah returns! Children will be eager to hear what their pets go through while they're away at school, and the uplifting story of friendship and bravery will satisfy widely. Using gouache, brush marker, charcoal, and colored pencil, Cummins has rendered in Truman a character so indisputably adorable that, coupled with Reidy's soulful characterization, he will have readers of all ages falling in love.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2019
Pet tortoise Truman lives in the big city with "his Sarah." When Truman sees Sarah board a bus with a backpack, he knows he will have to go after her. Thus begins his slow-moving journey...across the living room. The pair's affectionate relationship is the heart of this story that parallels a child's first journey into the unknown that is school. Cummins's relaxed-line, mixed-media illustrations bring the family's cozy world to life.

(Copyright 2019 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

September 1, 2019
Most picture books chronicling the first day of school focus on the small humans experiencing that rite of passage, but here the star is one such child's intrepid pet tortoise. Truman lives in the big city with his Sarah, who leaves one day with a backpack. She also places two extra green beans (uh-oh) in his tank and tells him to be brave. When, from the window, Truman sees her board the #11 bus going south, he knows he will have to go after her. Thus begins his slow-moving journey?across the living room, the pink floor rug being the most daunting obstacle: Without Sarah, their home seemed vast and uncharted and unsettling. Just as he's about to slip under the front door, Sarah returns, touched by his bravery and determination. At the heart of this story, paralleling a child's own first journey into the unknown that is school, is the affectionate relationship between Sarah and Truman (Sarah regularly kisses her finger and touches it to his shell), and there's much humor and drama in Truman's exertions. Cummins's relaxed-line, mixed-media illustrations bring the family's cozy world to life, and the occasional use of a larger, bolder font emphasizes the heroics needed for Truman's journey. This little creature has big courage, something to which small humans can relate. julie Danielson

(Copyright 2019 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)