Truman is a fun book. It is not 100% to my personal tastes (as it might be a bit too cute) but there is still a lot to love. Jean Reidy created a story about friendships, changes and being brave. Truman (a turtle) and his human girl, Sarah, have a special relationship. But one day, Truman realizes that Sarah is not just looking at the Number 11 bus, she is getting on the bus! And she does not come back right away like she usually does. What is going on? To try and learn the answer, Truman takes himself on the adventure of a lifetime! Over rocks, long rugs with pitfalls (or some really scary looking toys Sarah did not put away) and no longer being able to see out the window which has been his only reference point up until then. Of course, happy endings all around occur.
Part of this story that is interesting but can interrupt the flow of the story is the fact that Reidy puts a few counting pages in there as well. You can count as little as three or up to 32. There seems to be no real rhyme or reason, just counting that fits the story’s plot.
The illustrations have a unique flavor of being sophisticated and almost childlike. Lucy Ruth Cummins made a world that is toddler/preschool/kindergarten friendly. It is how the ages of 3 to 5 see the world around them. Early readers could start reading as well, most likely with assistance, due to how the art and text compliment each other.