Sunny Boy!: The Life and Times of a Tortoise - Hardcover

Fleming, Candace

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0374372977 ISBN 13: 9780374372972

Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR), 2005

Synopsis

I have always longed for the quiet life. So begins Sunny Boy’s tale. As a young tortoise, he enjoys a peaceful life – inhaling the sweet smell of orchids, reciting Latin, licking stamps – year after quiet year. But fate twists, and our hero falls into the hands of Biff the Brave, an accident-prone performer of daredevil deeds. When Biff attempts his most dangerous stunt – going over Niagara Falls in a barrel – the shy and retiring Sunny Boy is suddenly swept into history’s limelight. This wild, funny tale is based on the story of an actual tortoise who went over the falls. Exuberant watercolors full of witty details add to this celebration of the adventurous spirit that resides in us all.

About this title

About the Author:

Candace Fleming’s award-winning picture books include Boxes for Katje, a Publishers Weekly Best Book. She lives near Chicago, Illinois.

Anne Wilsdor's charming pictures can be found in Alligator Sue by Sharon Arms Doucet. She lives in Lausanne, Switzerland.

From School Library Journal:

Kindergarten-Grade 3–Inspired by an actual event, this saga makes for wildly entertaining reading. Sunny Boy is a self-described placid personality who longs ...for the quiet life. Fate unkindly snatches the young tortoise from his peaceable kingdom for the nefarious purpose of sending him ...bound for the soup pots of New York City's finest restaurants! A funny thing happens, though, on the way to his demise, when he is ejected from his carrying box onto the table of an unsuspecting diner at a sidewalk café. Thus begins the terrapin's long association with the male line of the gentleman's family. Because of Sunny Boy's great longevity, he lives with his savior for a time and then is passed down to three generations of nephews, finally landing with Biff the brave. Unlike his predecessors, Biff is an adventurer and a daredevil. With extreme trepidation, the tortoise becomes involved with the fellow's perilous pursuits, ending with a stunt involving a barrel and Niagara Falls. All's well that ends well as Sunny Boy discovers the fascination of an occasional walk on the wild side when balanced with calmer pastimes. This rollicking romp represents a wonderful marriage of text and illustration. The comical cartoon narrative, somewhat reminiscent of Quentin Blake's work, enhances the textual flow of the story. Not to be missed is the author's fascinating historical note describing the basis for this somewhat tall tale. Wacky and sure to elicit a giggle, this one is a winner.–Rosalyn Pierini, San Luis Obispo City-County Library, CA
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About this edition

• Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
• Publication date: 2005
• ISBN 10: 0374372977
• ISBN 13: 9780374372972
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 40
• Illustrator: Wilsdorf Anne