Tuesday Book Review: “Bertyl: I Just Want To Belong”

Book reviews are a great way for self-publishing authors to gain exposure. After all, how can someone buy your book if he or she doesn’t know it exists? Paired with other elements of your book promotion strategy, requesting reviews is a great way to get people talking about what you’ve written.

When we read good reviews, we definitely like to share them. It gives the author a few (permanent) moments of fame and allows us to let the community know about a great book. Here’s this week’s book review:

bertyl I just want to belong sandra dobozi

Bertyl: I Just Want to Belong

by Sandra Dobozi
illustrated by Egle Bartolini

ISBN: 9781478784975

How Can Bertyl Fit In? Bertyl is a charming adventure story written in rhyme about a sweet little turtle searching for his identity. When Bertyl is born he becomes a beloved surprise to his family. But Bertyl wonders why he is different and doesn’t look like other turtles. Beryl’s loving family and wise friends help him understand that “We all fit in and we all belong.” This charming, wise tale reassures readers that we’re each exactly right, just the way we are.

* courtesy of Amazon.com

Featured Review

“Bertyl: I Just Want To Belong” is a lovely children’s story about accepting and celebrating individual differences. Written in refreshing narrative verse, the story of Bertyl turtle Summer Breeze, the air-colored turtle, is inspiring and intriguing. Bertyl is a beautiful, perfect, healthy young turtle who is born without any coloring of green. Instead “Bertyl Turtle Summer Breeze was the color of a sneeze/ Bright and shiny as window glass/ See-through clear as a jellyfish mass.” Although Bertyl was healthy and had happy proud turtle parents, he was unhappy because he did not look green like his Mama and Pappy. They thought about painting him green, but that would make him sick. He could not wear green clothes because turtles did not wear clothes. The word went out to a multitude of Bertyl’s rainbow friends, birds and beasts. To Bertyl’s question “Why do I look so very plain/ Like morning dew and summer rain?” The answer was beautiful and surprising.”We all were born to a greater good/In clearest waters and thickest woods/ And so you see, our dearest friend, The circle of life will never end./ Be brave and proud and strong of mind/ And who you are can’t be defined; Bertyl Turtle, you’re one of a kind.” In answer, reflected in the incredibly sensitive, expressive rainbow splashed illustrations, Bertyl became joyously acceptant of his different clear color, saying “I’m so blessed to be alive./ How we look is never wrong/ We always fit/ WE ALL BELONG.” “Bertyl: I Just Want To Belong” delivers a complex and delicate inspirational message while fascinating readers with the rainbow diversity of all creation.

– reviewed on the Picturebook Shelf at Midwest Book Reviews

Other Reviews

Thoughtfully written and beautifully illustrated! kids of all ages will love this. we bought it for our neighbors that have a small child and when my kids (13,12,0) saw it and began reading it we decided to keep it. i will gladly buy another!

– reviewed on Amazon by jw1zzo

This is such an AMAZING story that teaches children the important lesson of acceptance and pride in their individuality and that as unique individuals we are all part of a bigger picture! The descriptive language paints such a colorful picture of Bertyl and his family and friends in their beautiful surroundings. The illustrations are amazing as well! I LOVED IT!!! I highly recommend this story to children…AND adults!

– reviewed on Amazon by Robyn

Not everyone is born to look like everyone else. Every child wants to be accepted by their peers and no one wants to feel left out because he/she does not have the right clothes, is the wrong skin color or just appears to be awkward and or shy. Born in a celery patch this precious title named Bertyl Turtle Summer Breeze is curious, smart and does not understand why he is not the color of lime, leaf or grass. He is pure with no color mark namely the color of glass. You can literally see right through him he is a clear as a jelly-fish mass. But, his heart is made of pure gold and what he learns from his friends is more valuable than if he was born green like other turtles.

Checking out his face or reflection in the stream he realizes that he does not resemble or look like his parents and this makes him pose the all important question to readers: How would Bertyl turn to green? Some solutions are not that easy and all too often we wonder why. Bertyl wants to be the color green like trees or lima beans or what about green clothes? Why not paint myself green would that help? But, his wonderful friends came from all parts of the forest to help cheer him up and give him suggestions. Sugar-beet Parakeet and Blueberry Canary and others explained to him that you are not plain you are YOU! His friends told him a special story that only they can share with you about Paradise when you read this beautifully written and colorfully illustrated book. What they tell him applies not only to this special turtle but to children and adults too. I too understand that the circle of life never ends and I know it has no beginning and to me no end. So, you are not defined by other people or how they act or look you are one of a kind! As Bertyl will learn that he is special in his way all children need to learn the same lesson. What the final outcome is you will learn when you see Bertyl on the final page of the book and learn whether he smiles and if he realizes that he’s no mystery he is just as he says: Uniquely me!

Where does he feel he belongs? What will he do next? Does he feel that he needs to be green or is he happy just being him? We All Belong in our own special way. We all belong and should never want to change who we are on any day. Life brings us changes and our differences are what makes each one of us stand out for the best. Learning to get along is what we should all do everyday and maybe adults will learn the same lesson. For educators this is a great way to introduce a new student to a class and to the school. It’s a great way using each one of the animals who come to his aid showing that many different races, people and in this case animals can ban together to help someone feel special and a part of the group. Great to foster great self-esteem and self-worth, friendship, loyalties and just knowing that WE ALL BELONG!

– reviewed on Amazon by Samfreene

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