Champ Reviews Tortoise Soup

Hello everyone,
This is my very first book review as a Pawthor. Phew! I am nervous. Since I became a Pawthor, I realise just how important it is for people to tell other people about books. I mean, how else are they going to know how wonderful a book is unless someone tells

Byron eating a strawberry on New Year's Day

them? That’s why I’m going to tell the world about my friend Byron Tinker’s book, Tortoise Soup. I met Byron on Twitter and, although he is a tortoise, he is still a Pawthor (even though he hasn’t got paws). We swopped books and I just hope he loved my book as much as I did his.

This is what the story is about: Ruby Tinker is an orphan and she lives in St. Therese’s Children’s Home in England, with her pet tortoise Byron. Let me tell you, Byron is one special reptile. He can sing, dance, run fast (for a tortoise) and he makes up poetry as well (he was named after a famous poet). Anyway, Ruby has something wrong with her legs after a car accident when she lost her parents. She tries to be as happy as she can with Byron. They read books together, and tell each other everything, like the bestest friends in the whole world. But the horrible Miss Scratbakk, who runs the children’s home, has a wicked plan. She wants to become very rich. I won’t spoil the plot for you, but her evil plans mean the end of Byron. Ruby’s Uncle Peter comes to fetch her to live with him in Scotland in a Fur-Ever Home. He doesn’t like pets and poor Byron has to stay behind. Ruby is terribly upset. What will happen to Byron? Will he and Ruby ever be reunited?

What I think of the book: Well, I nearly chewed my nails off worrying about Byron. He is a really brave tortoise, and he has incredible adventures. I didn’t think he would survive, especially when he met the snakes in the pet shop. Amazingly enough, so many people helped Byron, as well as other animals. But at the same time, Ruby's new home in Scotland was a long way from the Children's Home in England and when Byron decided to walk there, I thought to myself, “He’ll never make it.” The story is just full of love and friendship, and also bravery and not giving up. I imagined myself right next to Byron as he plodded along, and when he described things, it was as if I could see them as well. I just loved how Ruby did not give up on Byron: she knew he was still alive.

There is lots of wonderful magical stuff that people who love animals will enjoy. I cried a lot reading this book because Byron talked about things that were happy and sad at the same time. If you want adventure and magicality, this is the book for you. You also learn a lot about tortoises, how to care for them, and what they eat. They don’t like corned-beef-and-mustard sandwiches. I must say, I wouldn’t mind a sandwich like that, but hold the mustard please.

Byron lives in the United Kingdom which is a long way from where I live in California. His guardian is Nick Holland, who is also a Pawthor. I think he helped Byron with some big words and spelling. You can follow Byron on Twitter @ByronTinker. You can also buy his book on Amazon, and don’t forget to leave a review. I give it Five Stars!