Informational Resources:

Author Information:

Devin Scillian’s website:

https://www.devinscillian.com/

Illustrator Information:

Tim Bowers’ website:

https://timbowers.com/

Activities & Resources:

Activities:

Activity pages from Sleeping Bear Press

https://sleepingbearpress.com/teaching_guides?commit=Search&q=TORTOISE&utf8=%E2%9C%93

Research the differences and similarities between tortoises and turtles. Fill out this interactive online venn diagram to showcase your findings.

https://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/student-interactives/venn-diagram

Using Memoirs of a Tortoise as a guide, write a memoir from another animal’s point of view. Divide it into months, just like the author did with Memoirs of a Tortoise.

10 year old girl keeps same pet tortoise for 56 years (3:24):

https://www.yout-ube.com/watch?v=3GR_Kng1afI

5 fun facts about tortoises (3:21):

https://www.yout-ube.com/watch?v=kE0kbUJO-rA

Read and learn about the Galapagos Tortoise:

https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/animals/reptiles/facts/galapagos-tortoise

Considering a tortoise for a pet? Read this information before making your decision.

https://piscespets.com/blogs/news/what-to-know-before-buying-a-tortoise

Turtle or Tortoise? Test your knowledge with this quiz from Britannica.

https://www.britannica.com/quiz/turtle-or-tortoise

Art Activities:

Make an origami tortoise (12:06):

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/-bhSqbV25vY?autoplay=1&iv_load_policy=3&loop=1&modestbranding=1&playlist=-bhSqbV25vY

How to draw a tortoise (4:15):

https://www.yout-ube.com/watch?v=P99u_IeReTI

Make a bubble-wrap tortoise

https://www.craftykidsathome.com/bubble-wrap-tortoise/

Make a tiny tortoise in 13 easy steps

https://heartsfordiy.com/diy-tiny-tortoise/

MakerSpace Activities:

Create a backyard habitat for a tortoise using legos or cardboard.

Tortoises really like back scratches. View the video below and create a similar contraption for a tortoise.

Tortoise Brush - Enrichment Ideas (:12):

https://www.yout-ube.com/watch?v=JZ9W_T3hLBM&t=12s

Design a Lego mosaic building card for a tortoise.

https://frugalfun4boys.com/lego-animal-mosaic-building-cards/

Learn how to make shadow puppets and then make your own shadow puppet show for Memoirs of a Tortoise.

https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/home-and-family/how-to/diy-shadow-puppet-theater

Discussion Questions:

If you could give the book a new title, what would it be? Why?

What are some ways that Ike and Oliver are alike?

Oliver’s mother says “The whole world is in a hurry. They miss so much.” Do you agree or disagree with her? Why?

Oliver has a good sense of humor. Give examples where he displays his good sense of humor.

What are some ways that the author shows us that Ike and Oliver have a special friendship?

What are some ways the illustrator shows Ike and Oliver’s fondness for each other?

Oliver decides to visit his 137 year old mother who lives 10 gardens away. It takes him over two months to get there. Why does it take him so long?

What lesson can be learned from Oliver’s two month journey to go visit his mother?

How can you apply this lesson to your life?

Oliver’s mom says “You can have a shell or you can have wings, but you can’t have both.” What does she mean by that?

Oliver asks his mom, “Why do we have to lose people?” How does she respond? Do you agree or disagree with her response? Why?

Share a good memory of a person or pet you have lost.

Describe the different feelings you experienced during this book.

What do you think the author’s purpose was in writing this book? What ideas was he trying to get across?

Would you read another book by this author? Why or why not?

How did this memoir make you reflect on your own life?

Were you satisfied with the ending of this book? Why or why not?

Do you have a new perspective as a result of reading this book? If so, what is it?

This book was divided into months. Why do you think the author chose to do this?

What was your favorite part of this book? What was your least favorite? Why?

Book Talk Teasers:

Read the Reader's Theater for Memoirs of a Tortoise.

Watch the book trailer for Memoirs of a Tortoise embedded at the bottom of the page.

Read Alikes:

Cassidy, Sara. Helen’s Birds. Saanvi has been friends with her elderly neighbor Helen for as long as she can remember. They play, garden, and care for the wild birds that visit Helen's yard together. But then everything changes. This wordless graphic novel shows Saanvi's journey through loss and change, until she finally finds hope. (NoveList Plus)

Fensham, Elizabeth. My Dog Made Me Write This Book. Ugly, the dog, prefers everyone in the family to eight-year-old Eric, his owner, but when Eric's crazy ideas fail to win over Ugly, he tries something more basic. (NoveList Plus)

Newman, Leslea. The Best Cat in the World. A young boy deals with the loss of his beloved cat Charlie, eventually accepting the arrival of another, very different cat. (NoveList Plus)

Pieters, Nils. Fox & Goldfish. Fox knows that Goldfish is very unwell. Before it's too late, he takes his friend on an epic adventure beyond the fishbowl. Some things, like friendship, farewells, and the beauty of the world, are almost beyond words. (NoveList Plus)

Tavano, Joe. A Dachshund’s Wish. Paws the dachshund is happy to have found a home, but he really wants to be a real human boy, just like his favorite person, so he goes on a journey with the help of his animal friends and finds a surprising result at the end. (NoveList Plus)

Reviews:

Scillian, Devin. Memoirs of a Tortoise. Sleeping Bear Press, 2020.

School Library Journal

Memoirs of a Tortoise.

By Devin Scillian. Illustrated by Tim Bowers.

May 2020. 32p. Sleeping Bear Press, $16.99 (9781534110199). Grades 1-4.

School Library Journal (May 1, 2020)

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 © Copyright 2020. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Reprinted with permission from School Library Journal ©2021