Written by Candace Fleming, illustrated by Anne Wilsdorf. First edition, 2005. Melanie Kroupa Books, an imprint of Farrar, Strauss & Giraux.
The story begins with a tortoise resting on his rock, watching a butterfly overhead:
"I have always longed for the quiet life. Even as a hatchling, fresh from my egg, I never once frolicked or played. No, I preferred slow-paced days and basking on sun-warmed rocks.
But one fateful morning, I was plucked from my rock like a grape from its vine."
Boxed....shipped...bound for the soup pots of New York City's finest restaurants!"
But fate twists. Instead of landing in hot water, I landed in Pelonius Pimplewhite's lap..."
Thus begins the tale of Sunny Boy the tortoise and Uncle Pelonius, his nephews Cornelius, Augustus, and Biff, and dear Euphemia. The tortoise is a long-lived creature.
At the end of the story, we learn that there really was a tortoise named Sunny Boy who survived a ride over Niagara Falls in a barrel.
Candace Fleming is an award-winning children's book author who also writes non-fiction.
Anne Wilsdorf's funny, energetic illustrations have graced books in the U.S. and Europe.
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Condition: Very good/Near fine. The front endpaper, top right corner, has a small shadow from a sticker. The dust jacket shows minor shelf wear.
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https://goo.gl/6CZ9zA
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