pensive
Truman is a small tortoise who lives with his friend Sarah. The city is filled with busy people and loud noises but Truman is peaceful and pensive and so is Sarah until the day something strange happens. Truman watches Sarah start her day in a different way - eating a huge banana, putting on a new sweater, strapping on an enormous backpack. It was so big "thirty-two small tortoises could ride along in it - but zero tortoises did." Sarah gives Truman extra green beans - this is very puzzling and then:
"she kissed her finger and touched it to his shell and whispered 'Be Brave.' Then she left."
She left!! Truman is filled with worry. Will Sarah come back? Why did she take that big pack? And what's going on with those extra beans?
"Truman waited for Sarah to return. He waited. And waited. He waited a thousand hours - tortoise hours, that is - until he could wait no longer."
Truman knows he must catch the number 11 bus heading south. He finds a way (1,2,3) to climb out of his tank. The world outside (in Sarah's room) is huge and filled with danger but Truman keeps going. As he reaches the closed bedroom door he hears a noise. It's Sarah returning from school! Their reunion is so joyous.
You can see some of the illustrations from Truman here at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast.
The word pensive appears in this story four times. What a glorious way to acquire a new word. I think Truman is an essential purchase for every school library. It is a perfect picture book.
I won't say why but this flower is especially important in the story:
Here are the author and illustrator web sites. I would pair this book with Felix and Alexander:
You might also revisit the classic story - Corduroy.
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