Turtle, Turtle, Watch Out! (Paperback)
By April Pulley Sayre, Ills. by Annie Patterson
Republished by Charlesbridge, 2010
Reviewed by Heidi Bee Roemer
Book Source: We would like to thank the Orland Park Public Library for loaning a copy of this book for review.
Many animal stories show how man’s careless actions cause problems for creatures in the wild. But Sayre’s engaging narrative about the loggerhead turtle’s life tells a different tale. In addition to learning about the sea turtle’s life cycle, readers will see how "helping hands" assist one particular little turtle as she encounters challenges and life-threatening dangers. Children will enjoy chiming in on the catchy refrain, "Turtle, turtle, watch out!"
Even before the turtle hatches, her life is in jeopardy; a hungry raccoon family digs near the nest for eggs. Young hands come to the rescue, scaring the bandits away and placing writer mesh around the nest site. Clever hands protect the turtle eggs by posting a "Beached Closed" sign. Small hands turn off a bright light when the hatchling mistakenly heads for it instead of following the moonlight on the ocean. A boater’s quick hands snatch a floating plastic bag from the water which would have choked and possibly killed the turtle had she taken a bite out of it. Sayre’s simple yet expressive text draws readers into the story. Best of all, readers will come to understand that even small "helping hands" can have a positive, far-reaching effect on turtles and other endangered species.
Captivating color illustrations follow the female’s life cycle: her birth on a Florida beach, her 20-year life in the ocean, and her return to the beach where she mates, digs a hole in the sand, and lays a clutch of her own eggs. The final page includes information about seven species of sea turtles and conservation efforts. Originally in hardcover, illustrated by Lee Christiansen, the new 2010 paperback edition has been re-illustrated by Annie Patterson.
Even before the turtle hatches, her life is in jeopardy; a hungry raccoon family digs near the nest for eggs. Young hands come to the rescue, scaring the bandits away and placing writer mesh around the nest site. Clever hands protect the turtle eggs by posting a "Beached Closed" sign. Small hands turn off a bright light when the hatchling mistakenly heads for it instead of following the moonlight on the ocean. A boater’s quick hands snatch a floating plastic bag from the water which would have choked and possibly killed the turtle had she taken a bite out of it. Sayre’s simple yet expressive text draws readers into the story. Best of all, readers will come to understand that even small "helping hands" can have a positive, far-reaching effect on turtles and other endangered species.
Captivating color illustrations follow the female’s life cycle: her birth on a Florida beach, her 20-year life in the ocean, and her return to the beach where she mates, digs a hole in the sand, and lays a clutch of her own eggs. The final page includes information about seven species of sea turtles and conservation efforts. Originally in hardcover, illustrated by Lee Christiansen, the new 2010 paperback edition has been re-illustrated by Annie Patterson.
This post is part of the Nonfiction Monday Round-Up hosted this week by Charlotte's Library blog.
The new illustrations look wonderful, if the cover is anything to go by!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a beautiful book, and one right up my alley.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad I found your blog through Sharon Mayhew's! I look forward to finding good reads for my children here (and some for me too). Thanks!
It sounds like a lovely story! The cover is beautiful!
ReplyDelete