On her sixth birthday, Nia welcomes her new pet turtle, Alfie, into her home. She introduces him to her stuffed animals, sings songs she wrote just for him, and tells him stories each night about her school day. Alfie, though, is not the most enthusiastic companion, and Nia gradually loses interest in him— until he disappears as her seventh birthday approaches. A switch in perspective offers Alfie’s side of the story: despite his demure personality, he adores Nia and deeply appreciates everything she does for him. In search of a present for her birthday, he explores the nooks and crannies of their apartment before venturing outdoors. Tired after his long journey, he slips into the backyard pond for a nap. Beautifully detailed ink-and-watercolor illustrations show both Alfie’s perspective (scavenging behind the couch, crossing the sandbox “desert”) and African American Nia’s (building a snow turtle in the winter, planting seeds beside the pond in the spring unaware of Alfie’s presence nearby). Alfie’s obliviousness to the passage of time makes the ending all the more delightful when he emerges triumphantly from the pond, gift in hand (or rather, on shell), ready for Nia’s seventh birthday, never realizing that she is now celebrating her eighth. (Ages 4-8)

Discover the friendship between a girl and her turtle—from both points of view—in Thyra Heder’s Alfie, anaward-winning picture book that celebrates the relationship between a child and a pet.

An ALA/ALSC Notable Children’s Book

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 her seventh birthday, when . . . Alfie disappears!

Where did he go? And why? Nia can’t say . . . but Alfie can. This is his story, and the narrative switches to Alfie’s perspective as the brave turtle goes on the hunt for the perfect gift for Nia’s birthday.

He explores the house, encountering the family dog, then ventures out onto the fire escape, down into the yard, and through a sandbox until he grows cold and tired. A friendly snail suggests that Alfie take a nap in the pond in the yard.

Young readers will see the passage of time through the change in seasons from fall to winter and then spring in colorful illustrations. Alfie wakes up from his nap and emerges from the pond in time to celebrate what Alfie believes is Nia’s seventh birthday. Readers will delight to see the two reunited and will notice that it is, actually, Nia’s eighth birthday, as the number indicates on her birthday balloon.

Parents and their children will embrace this warm, colorful, and funny picture book that celebrates friendship, even when the friends see the relationship—and the world—very differently.

“A charming story of the bond between child and pet.” ―Booklist

“Beautiful, expressive watercolor illustrations . . . A journey about what it means to be a child with a new pet.” ―Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review)