Tortoise Reform

Piers Anthony
Mundania Press (2007)
ISBN 9781594263798
Reviewed by Debra Gaynor for Reader Views (2/07)

Rowan is a very lonely ten-year-old girl.  Her parents have sent her to stay with her aunt and uncle.  They keep threatening to send her to boarding school.  She feels alone and rejected by everyone around her. 

Gopher Tortoise is a burrowing tortoise.  He and four other animals live together as burrow mates.  For their burrow to be recognized by the Elders they must find one more burrow mate. The animals all communicate through telepathy.  There is no dishonesty, only understanding. One day while digging Gopher falls through a sinkhole.  He discovers a whole new realm.  In this new kingdom humans can talk, they don’t know how to use telepathy yet but the fact that they communicate shocks Gopher.  What a catastrophe it would be if humans suddenly became intelligent.   In Gopher’s realm humans are “dull,” they are used as beasts of burdens. 

Gopher Tortoise, Cottontail Rabbit, Indigo Snake, Little Owl and the armadillo teach Rowan to communicate by telepathy. Rowan prefers the animal’s realm to her own.  They accept her and ask her to be a burrow mate. Burrow mates are there to protect each other.  They look out for the best interest of each other and care for each other like a family.

“Tortoise Reform” by famed author Piers Anthony is filled with characters that are intelligent and adorable.  They are kind and accepting of each other.  They take care of each other.  Perhaps we humans could learn a few lessons from these animals.  I really enjoyed this book.  The plot is interesting and takes the reader on a journey through the mind of a very unhappy little girl.  There were times when I wondered if Rowan was imagining the interaction with the animals; perhaps they were her stuffed animals.  At times I was reminded of “Alice in Wonderland,” only Gopher was Alice.  There is a deeper message behind this book, one of tolerance, kindness and caring.  I highly recommend this book to all readers age 9 and over. 

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