Turtle Boy by M. Evan Wolkenstein

Sometimes books just appear and you feel the need to read them. This one was in my proof pile just chilling out and I picked it up and read it an hour. Which was not the plan but hey I have no self control.  Anyway onto the review.

Plot Summary: Will is a twelve year old boy with a facial difference and obsession with turtles. He's going through a lot of things and is very introverted. When his Rabbi makes him volunteer at a hospital talking to a dying boy called RJ things change.

So This book as you can tell is going for the tear jerker award and it did kinda get there. The book was a really positive message about getting out of your comfort zone and changing for the better and how change isn't necessarily a bad thing.

The central group of friends were really well written. In particular Max his friend with ADHD was probably my favorite. The way he was written was really sensitive and even though he was annoying at times he tried to work through it.

The adults in this book were my least favorite characters. I felt they were weirdly written and were barely fleshed out. Will's mum was very pushy and difficult. The Doctor was evasive and difficult as well.

However throughout the plot Will's mum does change and you get to understand why she is like she is. I wouldn't say she's particularly likable.

Alot of this book is about friendships and pushing yourself. RJ and Will's burgeoning friendship is really well written. The way RJ pushes people away from him is really well written and the end had me almost sobbing.

Overall this is an interesting little quick read. If you like books like The Distance Between Me and the Cherry Tree by Paola Peretti and The Light Jar by Lisa Thompson you'll love it.

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