Wonderfully written and beautifully illustrated, Chrissie's Shell is the story of a little turtle who desperately wants to be someone else. To Chrissie, her shell is empty. She doesn't see herself as a "someone", and dreams daily about being another animal. Someone faster, stronger, or even just prettier. Through the story, Chrissie learns that being her is actually quite special, and that she was made that way intentionally. As Chrissie morns her empty shell, she actually keeps doing good deeds for others with what she is given. It's really quite touching.

Honestly I really loved this book. Although I'm no longer much of a church goer, the overall message in this book is one that I think can be shared with all, no matter what your religious affiliation. Chrissie's story shows children that they are who they are on purpose. That each person is different, and special! I cannot think of a better message than one of self-worth. This book projects that beautifully.

I see this as a great story to share with a Sunday school class, or something read to a child before bed. The illustrations are bright, vivid and honestly quite adorable! I'm an adult and I still giggled when I saw the mouse with wheels for feet, as Chrissie compares him to a race car. There is a lot to love in this book, no matter what age you might be. ( )

Chrissie’s Shell is about a little turtle who is feeling empty. She cannot see anything inside her shell and assumes it is empty. In the forest, Chrissie sees all sorts of “real” animals and wants to be like them. She sees a mouse and wants to run fast like the mouse. A squirrel goes up a tree and Chrissie wishes she could climb trees. Even the slow hedgehog gets Chrissie wishing to be as strong as the hedgehog’s quills.

Chrissie spends her days dreaming about all the animals she wants to be and wakes up disappointed to find she is still herself. She forgets all the good things she does, like the time she took an injured young lizard home. Even though it was a long, all day ride, the lizard’s parents were ecstatic to have their child brought home safely. Chrissie also uses her shell as shelter for a butterfly caught in the rain. She doesn’t give herself credit, nor does she see that her “empty” shell has great value.

Finally, Chrissie asks God to make her a real someone. He questions her notion that she isn’t already a real someone, but Chrissie wants to be strong like a bear or fast like a bunny. God thinks a shell would be too small for the bear and the bunny’s cottontail would look funny sticking out from the shell. God asks Chrissie to go to the pond and look in the water. There Chrissie sees her reflection for the first time. She finally understands that she is a real someone and her shell is not empty – it contains her. Chrissie is happy and no longer wants to be someone she is not.

This is a cute story that any child can identify with. Who didn’t want to be the kid down the block that got all the hits at the game or always got the A at school? Or, maybe the kid with the pool in the backyard and the “cool parents?” Through Chrissie the turtle, kids can see that we were meant to be who we are, not who we want to be.

It is difficult to review this without mentioning God since He is a part of the story. Chrissie talks to God when she realizes she will never be able to change into someone “real” by imagining it to be. The Christian tone of this story may be the very reason some parents will not buy this book for their kids. That would be a shame because it is a great little story about self worth. That is something we all need regardless of our religious beliefs.

The illustrations could tell the story without any narration. They are spot on compatible with the text, very colorful and Chrissie is the most adorable turtle you will ever see.

Note: received from netgalley, courtesy of the publisher ( )

NCLA Review - Chrissie the turtle felt she was not a real someone living in her so empty shell. This beautifully illustrated picture book then takes you on a walk through the forest as Chrissie compares herself to the other animals, and what she feels she is missing. In her sadness, she whispers to God to make her a real someone. God speaks to her as she describes the other animals that she thinks she would rather be, and God leads her to understand what a special creature she is. This is a wonderful way to talk about self-esteem to even the youngest child. Rating: 4 —KHB ( )

Chrissie's Shell is a thought-provoking, whimisical story about a turtle who is looking for a way to fill her empty shell. Chrissie believes her shell is empty and spends the day wandering thru the forest wishing she was as amazing as the other creatures she happens upon. She's not as fast as mouse, nor can she climb as high as a squirrel and imagines herself in each of these roles, believing that if she could do any of these things, then maybe her shell wouldn't be empty. Chrissie doesn't realize, as she journeys along, that the things she does are just as amazing.

At the end of her travels, she asks God why her shell was empty and couldn't she please have it filled with one of the other critters that she met. God tells Chrissie that he has already filled the shell with the most amazing thing that God could think of and that was Chrissie herself.

I loved the illustrations in the book, they were drawn in a charming and endearing way, that I'm sure wee folks will find visually enjoyable. The moral of the story, that God made us each as we are and we are all perfect, is a good moral to pass along to our children. God's message is that you don't have to be something you are not...for you are perfect just the way you are~!!

"I praise you because I am...wonderfully made" - Psalm 139:14

SYNOPSIS:
Chrissie is a little turtle with a big problem: she believes her shell is empty. She spends her days comparing herself with other animals in the forest and imagining what it would be like to be them, only to end up disappointed again and again when she finds she cannot transform herself into someone new. ( )