Alfie

by Thyra Heder

Nia loves Alfie, her pet turtle. But he’s not very soft, he doesn’t do tricks, and he’s pretty quiet. Sometimes she forgets he’s even there! That is until the night before Nia’s seventh birthday, when Alfie disappears! Then, in an innovative switch in point of view, we hear Alfie’s side of the story. He didn’t leave Nia—he’s actually searching for the perfect birthday present for his dear friend. Can he find a gift and make it back in time for the big birthday party?

From the author-illustrator of Fraidyzoo and The Bear Report comes a warm and funny ode to friendship—even when the friends see the relationship, and the world, very differently.
 

Genres: Picture Books, Animals, Childrens, Friendship, Storytime, Fiction, Juvenile

40 pages, Hardcover

First published October 3, 2017

About the author

Thyra Heder is a writer and illustrator of picture books for children, and a storyboard and concept artist for film, television, fashion and architecture. In 2015 she was a Sundance Screenwriting Fellow and awarded the San Francisco Film Society Hearst Grant along with director, Brent Green. Her four picture books, Fraidyzoo, The Bear Report and Alfie: (The Turtle That Disappeared), and How Do You Dance? with Abrams Books for Young Readers have all received critical acclaim and international translation. In 2018, Alfie was awarded an E.B. White Read Aloud Honor by the Association of Booksellers for Children. She was born and raised in Cambridge, MA in a family of artists, and graduated from Brown University with a BA in Art Semiotics with a focus on film and video. She loves to collaborate with artists and writers of all kinds from her studio in Brooklyn, NY. She also loves walking around New York City and drawing strangers .

Reviews

[La Coccinelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book, told in two parts, is just adorable. The illustrations are perfect and tie the narrative into a cohesive whole, and there's a pretty good story, too. I loved Alfie's point of view.

I've read a few picture books about pets lately that haven't exactly put the pets or their owners in a very good light. But in this case, Alfie and Nia are both so sweet, and their friendship is wonderful. After seeing all the trouble Alfie went to in order to find the perfect present, you can't help but be impressed... and rather amused, when you see the twist at the end.

This would be a great addition to any picture book collection, especially for someone who likes books about animals (the dog and the snail are great characters in this book, too). I'd definitely recommend this one!

Quotable moment:

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me tell you the things I love about this book.
1. The main character is a person of color.
2. The main character is a girl.
3. The book switches points of view in the middle and we can see through the eyes of the turtle.
4. We think all is lost, but its not.
5. The turtle teaches us persistence.
6. This book is slow and gentle (like a turtle).
7. The illustrations are beautiful.
8. If you look careful, you'll see a little bit of a surprise ending.

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Goodness, this one's both heartfelt and brilliant, realistic and magical.

[Cheryl]

Wonderful wonderful. And omg the dog, Toby! A perfect addition to a Listopia that I need to make, Another Point of View.

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Nia is given a pet turtle for her sixth birthday, the little girl takes Alfie to her heart, sharing all of her activities with him. His seeming unresponsiveness sees a falling off in her attentiveness, until the day of her seventh birthday, when he goes missing. Where can he be? It turns out, while Nia may have grown bored with Alfie, he is still enthralled with her, and has set out to find the perfect birthday gift. Unfortunately, as a turtle, he doesn't move very fast...

The third picture-book that author/artist Thyra Heder has produced, following upon Fraidyzoo and The Bear Report , Alfie: (The Turtle That Disappeared) offers a lovely depiction of a human-turtle relationship, as viewed by the two different participants. Although the text itself does not draw attention to this fact, the idea that turtles live their (very long) lives at a different pace than humans is ably captured in the illustrations, which conclude with Nia's birthday party (albeit not the one the reader may expect). As always with Heder's books, I found the narrative here engaging, and the artwork absolutely gorgeous.

[Moonkiszt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Featured in a grandma reads session.

Turnabout is fair play in this book! Friends treat friends like. . . .friends!

We enjoyed this one - if you have a fondness for turtles, you will especially find this book a good choice.

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is everything.

[Laura Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a truly exceptional picture book. I wish it was being talked about more. The story is fresh, funny and interesting. The illustrations are incredibly warm and inviting. A storytime winner!

[Kendra · Rating 5 out of 5]

oh no i cried

[Carrie Gelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adore this one!

[Angela De Groot · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this delightful story about a girl and her pet turtle. The first hall of the story is told from the girl’s perspective and then it switches to the turtle’s, giving readers a wonderful peek into both perspectives. Definitely one to read over and over.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Terrific! The plot twist in the middle takes this one from seemingly ordinary to a total delight. BEAR REPORT is a favorite of mine and she is continuing to create exceptional books. Note to self - pay attention to Thyra Heder's career!

The illustrations are also adorable. This would make a wonderful writing prompt and a fun way to talk about perspective.

[Natalie Harvey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Still smiling after reading this one. 😀

[معصومه توکلی · Rating 4 out of 5]

عنوان ترجمهٔ فارسی: الفی لاک‌پشتی که غیبش زد!

[Melinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't usually rate the 5 million picture books I read, but I'm rating this one because it is everything. My new favorite of 2017, instantly, boom.

[Jana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a terrific picture book to discuss point of view with young readers. Nia loves her pet turtle, Alfie, and he loves her, too. Told from alternating points of view, this book shares their experiences. The illustrator did a wonderful job showing the worldview of both the little girl and her pet turtle. This could be a great mentor text to help kids write from different perspectives.

[Allison]

Ummmmm, I loved this book, except I would never be able to read it in storytime because it's too poignant! I was practically bawling just reading it to myself! Gorgeous illustrations and a wonderful story that can be a great conversation-starter about empathy and perspective. But if you're a softie like me, you'll have to brace yourself before reading it aloud! Truly, an excellent picture book.

[Dest · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had no idea turtles can hibernate underwater all winter. I was looking for more info and found this great article about how turtles can breathe through their butts. http://theconversation.com/the-secret...

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super cute and sweet story. Showed it to a friend who owns a turtle and it made him tear up, so very good story. Reading from Alfie's point of views was a good idea and made the story feel much sweeter

[Cecilia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alfie will steal your heart.

[Aleska Sever · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book because its story is about a 6 year old girl who is given a pet for her birthday. This pet is a turtle and his name is Alfie. This book was obtained from the library near my home and is valued by the Chicago Public Library as “ Best of the Best” of the books. The illustrations in the book are wonderful and very detailed. In addition, most of the illustrations are made in earth tones such as brown and green. This story has two parts: the story of Nia and the story of the turtle. The protagonists, both with six years, share a typical life between the pet and its owner. However, in the middle of the story the story has an unexpected twist as the reader can see what a pet feels for its owner. Another aspect that I liked about the book was how the author and illustrator handled the transitions of the story between Nia and Alfie. This is a book with which many of the children would identify. Having and caring for a pet is something special. The topics that I would emphasize to the children through this reading would be about the importance and responsibility of having a pet, the feeling of gratitude towards other people and the sadness that can cause losing the pet. I would recommend this book for children from 4 or 5 years of age.

[Maria Caplin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect for sequence of events and two points of view (Nia and Alvie) I even had to reread for a clarification. Theme: friendship and perseverance.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely story about the friendship between a girl and her pet turtle - from both perspectives. Gentle humour and lovely illustrations make this sweet book memorable.

[KC · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sweet story of a little girl who loves her turtle and how the turtle loves her back.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book that is written from two points of view. One view is the little girl, the other the second turtle.

[Annalise Kraines · Rating 5 out of 5]

The love between this girl and her turtle is so pure. Literally the purest story of all time.

[Yapha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this!

[Emily Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a great look into relationships between children and their pets! The different perspectives and the special illustration details create an engaging story,

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Terrific picture book about a girl who gets a pee turtle at age 6 but loses interest in him in about a years time. But while Alfie gets lost, he’s still around and is finally re-found years later.

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would ask how many children have a pet, what kind of pet do they have, and how do they take care of their pet? After engaging the students in our subject, I would talk about the text and whose point of view is being portrayed. I would prompt them to let me know when the story changes from Nia's point of view to Alfies. How could they tell it was Alfie now?


1. Alert children to unusual features of the text, such as its structure or narrator.
2. Invite personal connections.
3. Prompt the listeners to notice details.