Turtle Boy by M. Evan Wolkenstein

 

The second book I read over winter break was Turtle Boy by M. Evan Wolkenstein. This realistic fiction novel is about Will Levine, a seventh grade boy who is bullied for his chin that looks different and prefers staying in his bedroom with the wild turtles that he has collected from the Back 40, a nature preserve behind his school. Because his dad died in surgery to fix a hernia when was was four, Will is terrified of hospitals and having surgery for his chin in December. For his bar mitzvah, he has to complete a community service project by facing his fear and going to the hospital to visit RJ, a sixteen-year-old boy who has incurable mitochondrial disease. Will and RJ don't get along at first, but they soon bond over turtles and playing drums. When RJ shares his bucket list with Will, Will decides to complete the tasks for RJ before it's too late. Although he protests each task initially and has issues with his friends, Shirah and Max, he gets increasingly more comfortable coming out of his shell and trying new things.

While I anticipated that the story would be a journey for the main character, Will, what I wasn't expecting was how emotional it was. I absolutely adored it and couldn't wait to find out what experiences Will would have to have for RJ. From the beginning of the book, I felt for Will because I know how difficult it can be to step out of your comfort zone, but I was really happy for him when he completed each task and enjoyed how much growth he showed by the end. I also thought it was neat how much he loved turtles, even though his sixth grade science teacher, Ms. Kuper, finds out about his wild turtles and he has to return them to the pond in the Back 40. Of course, It didn't surprise me when Will decided to keep the most rare one. My favorite character, though, was RJ, which is why I was so heartbroken while reading this book. I thought it was so deeply unfair that he had an incurable disease because he was charismatic and full of life. I so badly wanted things to be different, especially when his health began declining more quickly. I couldn't help but cry a couple times while reading. I also liked Rabbi Harris, who always had good advice for Will and encouraged him. I thought it was funny that he had a junk food stash in his car. Although this book is sad at times, it's about being brave and taking chances. All in all, Turtle Boy is an outstanding choice for those who enjoy friendship stories.