This book took me awhile to get into, but once it had me - it had me. it's the story of a boy who is living with the shadow of his dad who died when he was 4 unexpectedly during a hernia surgery. Will finds out he is dealing with a condition that is impacting his jaw (thus the taunts of Turtle Boy by some mean classmates) and will require surgery. He's freak. Also preparing for his bar mitvah, he needs community service and starts to spend time with RJ, a terminally ill high schooler who has been hospitalized. Will works with RJ to complete his bucket list, all the while challenging himself and getting out of his comfort zone and his head to accomplish things that profoundly change him. There's friendship, self confidence, family, friendship, grief, recovery, environmental activism - all kinds of stuff in this book. It touched me and made me cry. ( )

Will’s bar mitzvah service project helps him face challenges in his own life in this engaging story by a debut author. Bullied at school and a loner, turtle-loving Will completes a bucket list of milestone activities for a terminally ill boy and gains the strength to face his own upcoming surgery. (Sydney Taylor Middle Grade Book Award) ( )

Seventh grade is not going well for Will Levine. Kids at school bully him because of his funny-looking chin. His science teacher finds out about the turtles he spent his summer collecting from the marsh behind school and orders him to release them back into the wild. And for his bar mitzvah community service project, he has to go to the hospital to visit RJ, an older boy struggling with an incurable disease. Unfortunately, Will hates hospitals. ( )

Partially based on the author's experiences with facial abnormality, tells the story of 12 YO Will Levine's difficult 7th grade year. Turtles, a terminally ill new friend, a bucket list and a Bar Mitzvah, in addition to trying to save a wetland habitat and deal with long buried grief for his father. Really well done, and particularly good at the solace that music can bring to this age group. Feels a lot like Wink with drums and a Jewish focus instead. Tearjerker in a good way. Great book! ( )

Turtle Boy is a 2022 Lone Star selection.

I was talking to a class about this novel, and a student said, "That's not what I thought it would be about." I agree that what you think after seeing the cover and what the book is about is completely different, yet I believe it's a good cover. Will, our main character, prefers staying at home, safe in his shell. His room has homes for his "pet" turtles even though he shouldn't have them. Ironically, having turtles isn't why he's called Turtle Boy. He has an odd chin, and a mean little boy started calling him this nickname. Because the kid notices his chin, Will tells his mother which means a trip to the doctor. He actually has a condition that makes his jaw move funny and he will need surgery to correct so that his jaw moves correctly, allowing him to eat and breath correctly. He really doesn't want to have surgery because his dad died after a hernia operation. Because of his perceived deformed face, Will covers up his chin and stays in his room as much as possible.

Life doesn't let a person stay in his room. Will needs 48 hours of community service for his bar mitzvah. He refuses all suggestions from the Rabbi until the Rabbi says that Will needs to visit RJ. RJ has a disease that is killing him; he's in the hospital by himself most of the day, alone. His mother is dead and his father stays at night because he drives a truck during the day. He needs a friend. Will does not want to go to a hospital--not after what happened to his father, but he must. He finds that he likes RJ although RJ makes him take risks. RJ will never experience any other life than his small hospital room, so he asks Will to do activities for him and then tell him about them. These experiences force Will (how can you say no to someone dying?) to do things. He has to do things he would never do. These all take courage that Will doesn't think he has. It's like Rabbi Harris tells him, "In life, we have moments of truth, where everything is on the line. And when these moments happen, we never have cheat sheets. We only have our instincts and the skills we've developed over the years." Will can't lie or pretend, he has to face life and use the skills he's developing to find himself, to find courage to leave his shell and experience life.

I really enjoyed the book. If you like to cry when you read a book, you will enjoy this novel. Afterall, you know RJ is going to die. I like the positive messages--that how we see ourselves should be based on how those who love us see us (252) instead of having a negative self view. We all have to find who we want to be and how we want to exist in this world of other humans. It takes courage to leave one's shell and venture forth. As Will says, "Courage is taking opportunities that come along, not running from them, not hiding." You may cry, but you'll finish applauding the courage and changes that allow Will to become a better Will. ( )