Race for the Ruby Turtle

by Stephen Bramucci

Overview

A heartfelt middle grade eco-adventure story full of friendship and self-discovery, perfect for fans of Dan Gemeinhart and Gary D. Schmidt.

Jake Rizzi is about to spend the summer at his great-aunt's cabin in the mossy, sodden Oregon backwoods. His parents seem to need a break from him and his ADHD. He tries not to take it personally, but isn't sure about his aunt's off-the-grid lifestyle and strange stories about a turtle with a ruby-colored shell.

Soon, Jake learns that the turtle is more than a myth. And thanks to a viral article online, strangers from all over the world have arrived to search for it—including a sinister animal poacher and towering twin zoologists from Sweden. Jake is sure that finding the turtle will change how people see him and his “attention issues”—but he'll need help. Setting off with his new friend Mia, Jake must decide what matters more—personal glory? Or protecting the wonders of nature?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781547607020
Publisher:	Bloomsbury USA
Publication date:	10/03/2023
Pages:	336
Sales rank:	347,063
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.30(h) x 1.30(d)
Age Range:	8 - 11 Years

About the Author

Steve Bramucci is the author of The Danger Gang series, travel/food writer, adventurer, teacher, and storyteller. He's rowed down the Mekong River in a traditional Vietnamese x'ampan, ventured into the Outback with Aboriginal elders, and spent four months driving a rickety Nissan Patrol through East Africa.

Steve's story of exploring a long-forgotten pirate graveyard in Madagascar won the $10K Trazzler Oasis prize and his trip across Australia in a car fueled with French fry oil was turned into a TV show. He's written for National Geographic Books, Afar, Outside, the Orange County Register Magazine, and dozens of other outlets. He's the founding editor of the LIFE section at Uproxx.com and is a passionate conservationist. He lives in Southern California with his family.

www.stephenbramucci.com
@stevebram

Editorial Reviews

A thrilling mystery adventure filled with a deep love of nature; you'll be rooting for Jake and Mia from beginning to end.” —Varian Johnson, award-winning author of TWINS and THE PARKER INHERITANCE

“The author also leaves readers with the priceless insight that 'the only way to protect the natural world is to love it.'” —Booklist Reviews

“Bramucci packs in teachable moments around digital literacy, mindfulness, and ecological interdependence . . . A wild romp that champions making space for vulnerable creatures and each other.” —Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

11/24/2023

Gr 4–6—Eleven-year-old Jake Rizzi is stuck spending time in rural Oregon with his great-aunt Hettle, whom he barely knows, while his parents go on vacation. They say they are going to a workshop, but Jake is sure it's just an opportunity to get a break from him and his ADHD. The "rainiest town in the state," where Jake will be staying, is having their annual Nehalem Blackberry Moon Festival, based on a myth about a turtle with a ruby-colored shell. This year, it's more than the usual locals searching for the turtle—news of the animal has spread and strangers from all over, including a dishonest animal poacher and twin zoology students from Sweden, have hopes of being the first one to spot it. Aunt Hettle keeps insisting that the story is local folklore, but as strangers are getting closer to the truth, Jake, his new friend Mia, and dog Singer are racing to protect this potential rare creature and the land where his aunt resides. Readers will empathize with Jake as they learn how his brain works and the coping strategies he uses to overcome his challenges. A second narrator's sections, giving a voice to one unwelcome turtle hunter, are noted with a change in the appearance of the page background and font. VERDICT Readers will keep enthusiastically turning pages to continue this heartfelt adventure about nature conservation.—Sarah Polace

School Library Journal

2023-08-11
A boy with ADHD explores nature and himself.

Eleven-year-old Jake Rizzi just wants to be seen as “normal”; he blames his brain for leading him into trouble and making him do things that annoy his peers and even his own parents. Case in point: He’s stuck spending a week in rural Oregon with an aunt he barely knows while his parents go on vacation. Jake’s reluctance changes as he learns about the town’s annual festival, during which locals search for a fabled turtle. But news of this possibly undiscovered species has spread. Although Aunt Hettle insists to Jake that it’s only folklore, the fame-hungry convene, sure that the Ruby-Backed Turtle is indeed real—just as Jake discovers is the case. Keeping its existence secret is critical to protecting the rare creature from a poacher and others with ill intentions. Readers will keep turning pages to find out how Jake and new friend Mia will foil the caricatured villains. Along the way, Bramucci packs in teachable moments around digital literacy, mindfulness, and ecological interdependence, along with the message that “the only way to protect the natural world is to love it.” Jake’s inner monologue elucidates the challenges and benefits of ADHD as well as practical coping strategies. Whether or not readers share Jake’s diagnosis, they’ll empathize with his insecurities. Jake and his family present white; Mia is Black, and names of secondary characters indicate some ethnic diversity.

A wild romp that champions making space for vulnerable creatures and each other. (Adventure. 8-11)

Kirkus Reviews