A tortoise reflects on a year in its life. Oliver is an 80-year-old tortoise and lives in a sunny, flowery, tropical-looking landscape with his "pet" white human, Ike, who's also 80. The two are dear friends, and Oliver reflects on how he and Ike love each other and how they have their comfortable daily routines ("Oliver, fetch" says Ike, and they both laugh). But one day Ike is gone, and Oliver, saddened, makes the trek (10 gardens away) to talk with his 137-year-old mother. This gentle, poignant, and humorous story presents the themes of friendship, loss, and appreciation of life's moments from refreshingly different perspectives: narratively from Oliver's point of view and visually from the low vantage afforded by Oliver's stature. Both work wonderfully. The story is both heart-rending and uplifting as Oliver leads readers on a tortoise-speed journey of his quiet moments in the garden and his graceful acceptance of change. It's also terribly funny in its memoir aspect ("A banana for dinner") and in the speed (or lack thereof) of Oliver's journey to see his mother. Bowers' vibrantly colorful illustrations bring the Florida-like landscape to life with full-bleed single-page-- and double-page--spread illustrations while the choice to use an illustrative perspective mainly from Oliver's close-to-the-ground view gives readers a strong sense of being right there. An unusual and wonderful gem. (Picture book. 4-9) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Gr 1--4--Scillian and Bowers have teamed up on other "Memoirs" stories, and in each of these earlier collaborations, learning to appreciate what you have is an important theme. Appreciation for those who love you and understand you is a theme of this book, but the message is more poignant because one life has been taken by death and there will be no more tomorrows together. The main character, Oliver, is an 80-year-old tortoise whose "pet" human, Ike, who was also 80, has recently died. Prior to Ike's death, the two lived in the moment, enjoying the simple pleasures of each day, from the warm sun to a tasty snack to the ever-changing face of nature. Oliver cannot imagine why he has been left alone, and he decides to visit his wise, 137-year-old tortoise mother for answers. She tells him, "We only get to have pets in our lives for a little while…. So we have to enjoy them every day." Her answer resonates with Oliver, who returns home to forge a new friendship with Ike's son. The pace of the story provides reflection time for readers, and the vibrant illustrations capture the joy to be found in meaningful relationships. VERDICT A touching story about slowing down and appreciating those you love.--Sally James, South Hillsborough Elementary School, Hillsborough, CA