The Box Turtle by Vanessa Roeder (review)

When Terrance the turtle is born without a shell, his loving parents bestow on him a sturdy cardboard box, which does all the things a shell should do, keeping him safe, dry, and warm. It's all going swimmingly until three fellow terrapins tell him it's weird, and Terrance abandons his beloved shell to find something better. A mailbox, a hat box, a boom box, jack-in-the-box and a lunch box (among others) don't quite do the trick, and, with a little prodding from his crustacean friend, he realizes his original box was perfect all along—unfortunately, when he finds it, his shell needs some serious repairs. The story suffers from a few logical inconsistencies (namely how a cardboard box withstands water, or why Terrance is concerned about the potential shell covering his tiny butt when he's naked for most of his search), and the "be yourself, love yourself" message is formulaic if sweetly conveyed. Shelled or not, though, Terrance is an appealing figure, with gentle lines, a soft green color, and a cute little booty. Terrance's makeover of his box may inspire youngsters to want to create a "shell" for themselves, so have a few cardboard boxes and markers on hand for crafty turtle enthusiasts.