Memoirs of a Tortoise

Memoirs of a Tortoise
Author: Devin Scillian
Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press
Total Pages: 36
Release: 2020-05-15
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 1534166807

Oliver the tortoise has had his human, Ike, for a very, very long time now. In fact, they're the same age--80 years old--and practically twins. They both enjoy the slowness of the garden, cool water from the hose on a hot day, and a nice slice of honeydew melon. But when Ike stops visiting the garden, Oliver wonders why his pet has left him so soon. So he makes the long journey to see his mother ten gardens away--she will certainly have the answer. This tender story from the author and illustrator that brought us Memoirs of a Goldfish reminds us to cherish all the days we have with our pets and loved ones.

Memoirs of a Goldfish

Memoirs of a Goldfish
Author: Devin Scillian
Publisher: Triangle Interactive, Inc.
Total Pages: 36
Release: 2019-01-16
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 1684520053

Read Along or Enhanced eBook: Day One I swam around my bowl. Day Two I swam around my bowl. Twice. And so it goes in this tell-all tale from a goldfish. With his bowl to himself and his simple routine, Goldfish loves his life..until one day... When assorted intruders including a hyperactive bubbler, a grime-eating snail, a pair of amorous guppies, and a really crabby crab invade his personal space and bowl, Goldfish is put out, to say the least. He wants none of it, preferring his former peace and quiet and solitude. But time away from his new companions gives him a chance to rethink the pros and cons of a solitary life. And discover what he's been missing. Devin Scillian is an award-winning author and Emmy award-winning broadcast journalist. He has written more than 10 books with Sleeping Bear Press, including the bestselling A is for America: An American Alphabet and Brewster the Rooster. Devin lives in Michigan and anchors the news for WDIV-TV in Detroit. Early in his career Tim Bowers worked for Hallmark Cards, helping to launch the Shoebox Greetings card line. He has illustrated more than 25 children's books, garnering such awards as the Chicago Public Library's "Best of the Best" list. He also illustrated the widely popular First Dog. Tim lives in Granville, Ohio.

Sugar and Dirt

Sugar and Dirt
Author: Fernando Prol
Publisher: Wheatmark, Inc.
Total Pages: 172
Release: 2014-10-15
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 1627871632

Sugar and Dirt is the inspiring coming-of-age story of a young émigré during one of the stormiest eras in recent American history. F.P. Romero's stirring memoirs begin in Cuba, where his affluent family loses everything to Fidel Castro's revolution and is forced to flee with scarcely more than the clothes on their backs. Having to start over in Miami, the family struggles with refugee life but resolves to pursue the American Dream. F.P. describes his idyllic years at the elite McCullough Academy, his departure from McCullough, and his startling descent into a world of violence and malice. His reckless decline into drug-fueled dissipation threatens to consume him until a girl and a chance discovery change his life forever. Told with a unique blend of wit, candor, and pathos, Sugar and Dirt recounts F.P.'s early life of privilege, his tragic fall from grace, and his hard-earned redemption. It is a story of true American reinvention.

Memoirs of a Parrot

Memoirs of a Parrot
Author: Devin Scillian
Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press
Total Pages: 36
Release: 2016-05-01
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 1634709241

Join a brilliant, but stubborn, parrot as he endures the banality of the pet store before being purchased by an equally insufferable young man. But while things between parrot and owner get off to a rocky start, the delights of having a pet (or human) bring them both around in the end. From author Devin Scillian and illustrator Tim Bowers of the Memoirs series, this is sure to please fans new and old.

Memoirs of a Hamster

Memoirs of a Hamster
Author: Devin Scillian
Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press
Total Pages: 34
Release: 2013-04-15
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 1627530088

Night 1 / My life is perfect. / I have a bowl full of seeds, a cozy pile of wood shavings, and room to run. / I'm never leaving here. / Question: Who's the luckiest hamster in the world? / Answer: ME! Seymour the hamster has the perfect life. He has a spacious cage, a constant food supply, and a FuzzyBoy 360 exercise wheel that lets him run to his heart's content. Life could not be better. Or could it? When Pearl the cat tells Seymour of the goodies beyond the safe confines of his cage, he starts to think he's missing out. And out is the new in! It's only after Seymour is out of his cage that he begins to fully appreciate his safe and cozy home.

Self-Portrait with Turtles

Self-Portrait with Turtles
Author: David M. Carroll
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Total Pages: 195
Release: 2005
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 0618565841

A renowned artist, author, and naturalist, David M. Carroll is exceptionally skilled at capturing nature on the page. In Self-Portrait with Turtles, he reflects on his own life, recounting the crucial moments that shaped his passions and abilities. Beginning with his first sighting of a wild turtle at age eight, Carroll describes his lifelong fascination with swamps and the creatures that inhabit them. He also traces his evolution as an artist, from the words of encouragement he received in high school to his college days in Boston to his life with his wife and family. Self-Portrait with Turtles is a remarkable memoir, a marvelous and exhilarating account of a life well lived.

Come, Thou Tortoise

Come, Thou Tortoise
Author: Jessica Grant
Publisher: Vintage Canada
Total Pages: 434
Release: 2010-03-09
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 0307373924

A delightfully offbeat story that features an opinionated tortoise and her owner who find themselves in the middle of a life-changing mystery. Audrey (a.k.a. Oddly) Flowers is living quietly in Oregon with Winnifred, her tortoise, when she finds out her dear father has been knocked into a coma back in Newfoundland. Despite her fear of flying, she goes to him, but not before she reluctantly dumps Winnifred with her unreliable friends. Poor Winnifred. When Audrey disarms an Air Marshal en route to St. John’s we begin to realize there’s something, well, odd about her. And we soon know that Audrey’s quest to discover who her father really was – and reunite with Winnifred – will be an adventure like no other. Excerpt: Winnifred is old. She might be three hundred. She came with the apartment. The previous tenant, a rock climber named Cliff, was embarking on a rock-climbing adventure that would not have been much fun for Winnifred. Back then her name was Iris. Cliff had inherited Iris from the previous tenant. Nobody knew how old Iris was or where she had come from originally. Now Cliff was moving out. He said, Would you like a tortoise. I would not say no to a tortoise, I said. I was alone in Portland and the trees were giant. I picked her up and she blinked at me with her upside-down eyelids. I felt instantly calm. Her eyes were soft brown. Her skin felt like an old elbow. I will build you a castle, I whispered. With a pool. And I was true to my word.

One Turtle's Last Straw

One Turtle's Last Straw
Author: Elisa Boxer
Publisher: Crown Books for Young Readers
Total Pages: 41
Release: 2022-05-10
Genre: Juvenile Nonfiction
ISBN: 0593372468

The inspiring true story of how one small turtle and kids all over the country sparked an environmental movement. Based on the viral video that created awareness of the harm caused by plastic straws, this heart-wrenching story is a perfect tool for teaching children about sustainability. Slurp! A boy finishes his drink and tosses it in the trash, straw and all. He moves on without another thought.... In the waters off of Costa Rica, scientists spot an endangered sea turtle and pull him aboard to study him. But he has something stuck in his nose. A barnacle? A stick? No...it's a plastic straw! This heroic story of one turtle's rescue reminds us that even the smallest straw can hurt our ocean life--and that the smallest demand for change can grow into something big!

Memoirs of an Elf

Memoirs of an Elf
Author: Devin Scillian
Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press
Total Pages: 36
Release: 2014-09-01
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 1627537759

It's Christmas Eve and Spark Elf has the very important job of keeping Santa Claus on schedule as he travels the globe in 24 hours delivering presents. Small in stature with pointy ears and stopwatch in hand, Spark lets Santa know it's time to go. He programs the GPS while the other elves secure the toy bag and check the Nice list. Little known fact: We don't even bring the Naughty list with us. Six hours into the trip Santa, sleigh and crew begin to fall behind--so many cuddly doggies to pet and extra cookies to eat. The jolly group makes up time in Brazil and soon find themselves back at the North Pole. Their work is done. But wait, there's something left in the bag--but it isn't a present at all--it's a family dog! Well known fact: Santa gives things away. He does not take things! Momma Claus comes to the rescue with a plan to get the dog back to his family. Can Santa return the family's beloved pooch in time to keep their Christmas merry?

Hare and Tortoise

Hare and Tortoise
Author: Alison Murray
Publisher: National Geographic Books
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2016-05-24
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 0763687219

Alison Murray offers an enchanting retelling of a much-loved Aesop’s fable with a mischievous twist. Hare (Leapus swifticus) can barely stay still for a minute. He’s the fastest on the farm. Tortoise (Slow and steadicus) can stay still for a very long time. She has occasionally been mistaken for a rock. So when they decide to have a race, Hare is certain to win . . . isn’t he? Through the meadow, around the duck pond, and straight into the carrot field. Carrots? Oh, dear. Whether encountering the classic tale for the first time or tracing the racecourse map to relive it, children will be quick to realize Hare’s folly and eager to join the cheering for easygoing, persistent Tortoise. She may be slow, but watch her go!