April hosts Earth Day, Poetry
month, the time of turtles and birds; it can be the best of spring in South
Florida. This between time – after winter’s wait and before summer’s heat –
offers the opportunity for finding one’s own place in the world. As the seasons
change, so do we. Fortunately or not, the spiral that brings us around the
cycle of the year is never the same twice. And this collection of turtle tales supplies
us with much to extend our imaginations. Stretch your “fanciful” muscles,
dream. Follow a whim. Share these stories with your favorite small person. Don’t
be afraid to invent or re-invent your own life!
Ocean Commotion: Sea
Turtles
by Janeen Mason
Beautifully
illustrated, this biography about a loggerhead turtle whose hatching and later
travels across the world’s oceans is a fascinating saga. She navigates the
dangers of sea birds, crabs, sharks and nets to return to the beach of her
birth to lay eggs.
The
swirling movement of blue, green and purple ocean currents echoes the movement
of the sea’s creatures, as the female turtle crawls, drifts, paddles, dives and
swims on her long journey. The important role of sargassum (a floating ocean
weed) to supply both food and protection is highlighted.
This well researched picture book
reflects the author’s passion for the environment, especially marine life. Revealing
the lush diversity of sea life on display in the immensity of the world’s
oceans, the reader’s immersion in the life of the sea is enhanced by the
vitality of the illustrations.
At the back is a Note from the
Author, including current websites. Also, words from the Glossary at the end
are printed in bold type in the text.
Pelican Publishing
Company, $15.99
Interest Level: Kindergarten – Grade 3
(This book is
available to purchase from local and online booksellers.)
Turtle’s Race with
Beaver: A Traditional Seneca Story
by Joseph Bruchac & James Bruchac
Illustrated by Jose Aruego & Ariane Dewey
Turtle
lives in a beautiful pond with everything a turtle could need; plenty of food
and rocks for sunning. But one winter a beaver builds a dam, making the water
deeper and deeper.
Turtle
wakes from hibernation and swims up from the mud. She discovers that Beaver
doesn’t want to share the pond, even though there’s plenty of room. Instead,
Beaver challenges her to race. “Whoever winds can stay, whoever loses must go
find a new home.”
Although
Turtle doesn’t really want to race, she agrees. Beaver tells all the local
animals about the race and a crowd gathers. They chant: TURTLE! BEAVER! TURTLE!
BEAVER! Beaver is confident. Turtle thinks Beaver, with his flat tail, is
likely a faster swimmer. But she has an idea.
She
bites into Beaver’s tale just as he leaps into the pond. It looks like Beaver
will win. Turtle bites harder. The animals are cheering from the shore. Turtle
bites even harder. Beaver yells and flips his big tail out of the water. Turtle
lets go, flying over Beaver’s head, landing on the shore, and crawling across
the finish line to win.
Well-loved
illustrators Dewey and Aruego use pen and ink, gouache, and pastels for the
action that draws laughter from readers and listeners alike. The movement of
the water, and the participation of the woodland animals with their intent
expressions, matches the vivid language of the text.
Turtle
is delighted. But she also notices Beaver’s sadness. Despite her offer to share
the pond, Beaver leaves in embarrassment.
The
ending, however, is very satisfying for young children. Turtle is once more
content in her pond. And, Beaver finds a new pond – this time asking another
turtle to share. The two live happily sharing the pond together.
Penguin, $5.99
(paperback)
Interest Level: Kindergarten – Grade 3
(This book is
available to purchase from local and online booksellers.)
Emma’s Turtle
by
Eve Bunting
Illustrated by Marsha Winborn
A
turtle has heard Emma, the girl whose pet he is, read about faraway lands. He
decides to go exploring, digging a hole under the wire of his pen. He thinks he
may be in the African jungle because the grass he crawls through is so long. Perhaps
that’s an elephant leg he sees ahead. Or no, it’s really a strange jungle tree
stump.
When a frog leaps past, the turtle
wonders if it’s a kangaroo from Australia. Later, he wonders if he’s in India
when he first sees the striped tail of the next-door cat and thinks it might be
a tiger.
Watercolor illustrations are
imaginative and match the sometimes-comic voice of the turtle with amused,
fearful, funny, relieved, curious, expressive faces of all the creatures and
Emma.
Turtle’s been away all day by now
and begins to worry about how to get back to the United States. Then Emma finds
him and carries him back. And there are “strawberry slices scattered” for his
supper.
Although he has never left the
yard, young children will “get it” that he has had a splendid adventure.
Boyds Mills Press,
$6.95 (paperback)
$15.95 (hardcover)
Interest Level: Pre-School – Grade 1
(This book is
available to purchase from local and online booksellers.)
MORE TURTLE BOOKS!
Turtle, Turtle Watch
Out!
by April Pulley Sayre, illustrated by Annie Patterson
Charlesbridge
Publishing, $7.95 (paperback)
Interest Level: Kindergarten – Grade 2
(This book is
available to purchase from local and
online booksellers.)
Turtle Tide: The Ways
of Sea Turtles
by Stephen R. Swinburne,
illustrated by Bruce Hiscock
Boyds Mills Press,
$11.95 (paperback)
Interest Level: Grades
2-5
(This book is
available to purchase from local and online booksellers.)
The Tortoise and the
Hare
by Alison Ritchie, illustrated by Nahta Noj
Candlewick Press,
$15.99
Interest Level: Pre-School – Grade 1
(This book is
available to purchase from local and online booksellers.)
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