Turtle Boy, M. Evan Wolkenstein
Turtle Boy, M. Evan Wolkenstein
List: $23.00 | Sale: $16.10
Club: $11.50

Turtle Boy

Author: M. Evan Wolkenstein

Narrator: M. Evan Wolkenstein

Unabridged: 7 hr 52 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 05/05/2020


Synopsis

SYDNEY TAYLOR BOOK AWARD WINNER

A boy who has spent his life living inside a shell discovers the importance of taking chance in this "winner" (Booklist, starred review) of a friendship story that's perfect for fans of Wonder.

It's the year of Will Levine's bar mitzvah, and for his community service project, he's expected to go to the hospital to visit RJ, an older boy struggling with an incurable disease. Will can't think of anything worse, mainly because he will have to face his fear of hospitals. Life in the seventh grade isn't much easier. The kids are relentless--they bully Will because of his funny looking chin.

When Will and RJ first meet, they DO NOT get along. Then RJ shares his bucket list with Will. Among the things he wants to do: ride a roller coaster; go to a school dance; swim in the ocean. To Will, happiness is hanging out in his room, alone, preferably with the turtles he collects. But as RJ's disease worsens, Will realizes he needs to tackle the bucket list on RJ's behalf before it's too late. It seems like an impossible mission, way outside Will's comfort zone. But as he completes each task with RJ's guidance, Will learns that life is too short to live in a shell.

"Everyone deserves a friend like Will Levine." --Lynne Kelly, author of Song for a Whale

About The Author

M. EVAN WOLKENSTEIN is a high school teacher and writer. He attended the University of Wisconsin in Madison, the Pardes Institute for Jewish Studies, and Hebrew University. His work can be found in Tablet magazine and the Washington Post, and on BimBam.com. He lives with his wife and daughter in the San Francisco Bay Area. Turtle Boy is his debut novel.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Brenda on February 04, 2020

Oh. My. God! I am totally wrecked in the best possible way! This was an absolutely amazing, absolute must-read! Unique, funny, engaging and then devastating. It is really hard to read through tears. That was the challenge for the last part of this truly life-changing debut! Breaking my no-star ratin......more

Goodreads review by Jenny on May 05, 2020

Thank you so much to Usborne Publishing for providing me with a copy of Turtle Boy, in exchange for an honest review! Will is being constantly teased at school, due to his chin looking different to other people’s. Even worse, the doctor has recommended he has surgery to fix it, but Will doesn’t do h......more

Goodreads review by A Broken Zebra on March 18, 2020

Let Tina sum this one up for me - -sighs- I was pulled in by the concept of this book, but truthfully, it was a let down. It didn't...I don't know, it didn't sit right. And was extremely difficult to read; Turtle Boy made me uncomfortable. And I also didn't much feel like there was a difference in v......more

Goodreads review by The Nerd Daily on April 22, 2020

Originally published on The Nerd Daily | Review by Mimi Koehler “In life,” he says, “we have moments of truth, where everything is on the line. And when these moments happen, we never have cheat sheets. We only have our instincts and the skills we’ve developed over the years.” Don’t let yourself be fo......more

Goodreads review by Shaye on May 25, 2020

Oh my. I didn’t know what I was stepping into when I started this book. It’s another one of those “the cover isn’t nearly as serious as the book” scenarios that caught me 100% off guard. So just a fair warning that this one is heavy and meaningful and will definitely require some Kleenex. Will Levin......more


Quotes

"Turtle Boy is a marvelous coming-of-age story . . . about bravery and the redemptive power of friendship. A perfect summer read." —Kveller

"Turtle Boy—both boy and book—is a winner." —Booklist, starred review“A story about what it means to be brave when all you want to do is hide in your shell." —Lynne Kelly, author of Song for a Whale

"A wholesome blend of humor and grief, Will’s story will appeal to younger and older readers alike. A beautiful debut that wears its heart on its sleeve." —The Nerd Daily"A strong debut novel about grief, loss, and coming out of one's shell." —School Library Journal"A satisfying arc, from sadness to dawning hope and strength." —Kirkus Reviews"A masterful mingling of deeply resonant themes, including self-esteem, loneliness, loss, and the rewards of improbable friendships." —Publishers Weekly

“Wolken­stein por­trays mid­dle school bul­ly­ing with unflinch­ing accu­ra­cy. The ambi­tious nov­el bal­ances sev­er­al dif­fer­ent themes with real­is­tic char­ac­ters . . . . richly drawn and compelling. Tur­tle Boy is high­ly rec­om­mend­ed._ —Jewish Book Council