The Tortoise’s Tale by Kendra Coulter

Giant tortoises live a very long time.  The gentle, deliberate, and very perceptive subject of this novel – she is given multiple names over her more than 100-year life on an estate in Southern California—shares her insights to the people she encounters and the times in which they dwell.  At turns charming, bittersweet, and moving, The Tortoise’s Tale provides a unique perspective on relations between humans and the animal world.