Melvin and the Boy

Submitted by Ms. Tess!
As a person who has often seen a woodland creature, and wanted to take it home, I could totally related to Melvin and the Boy by Lauren Castillo. This story is told in first person, from the perspective of a little boy who really wants to have a pet. His parents disapprove of animals that are too large, “too much work,” or too noisy. When the boy connects with a particular turtle at the park, he decides to name him Melvin (because Melvin is a good name for a turtle) and take him home. But he quickly learns that Melvin is perhaps not meant to be a pet. Melvin stays in his shell most of the time, and generally doesn’t seem happy. The boy makes the tough choice to return Melvin to the park, and realizes that this is where turtles truly belong: in the wild, with their own kind. Although the boy is disappointed, he knows he’s done the right thing, and will return to visit Melvin in the park whenever he comes. Reading this book is a wonderful way to introduce the idea that not all animals are meant to be pets, especially to a child who may be really wanting to keep the latest creature they’ve found in their backyard. See this book listed in our catalog