Run, Sea Turtle, Run

December 15, 2019
The most fascinating part of this simple photo essay is the last statement made by the narrator, a baby leatherback sea turtle: "Someday I will come back to this same beach. I will lay eggs of my own." Although further explained in the backmatter (written for adults), this promise omits the fact that these turtles often travel 10,000 miles per year. As the main audience of this engaging description of leatherback sea turtles is very young children, and the book has a specific focus on the first days of life, the author sticks to a few details about the physical activities undertaken by the hatchling as she makes her way from the buried nest on a beach to the nearby sea. Readers might want to know where this beach is and where these turtles can be found, information not provided beyond the general statement that "They live in all of the world's oceans." This is not strictly true, as they are not found in the Arctic and Antarctic oceans. These quibbles aside, the easy-to-read text in clear type on blue backgrounds combines with Feuillet's large photographs (often close-ups) to give readers a step-by-step account of the new turtle's emergence from the egg to the top of the nest, across the beach, to the water: "WATCH ME RUN!" An appealing, attractive, and accessible introduction to endangered sea turtles. (further information, further reading) (Informational picture book. 4-6)

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February 1, 2020

PreS-K-A baby sea turtle's early days come alive in the hands of author Swinburne and photographer Feuillet. Every word and photograph follows a little sea turtle's progress from living inside an egg in its sand nest to its struggle to reach the sea. The detailed photographs allow the reader to see the tiniest grain of sand. Each word forms a sensory experience. The author and illustrator have created a visual and textual resource suited for young readers. Back matter includes information about the sea turtle life cycle, ways to help the sea turtle, further reading, and website recommendations. And to top it off, Swinburne provides a link to his YouTube performance of "One in a Thousand," a song about sea turtle survival rates. VERDICT What a voyage. This juvenile nonfiction picture book will appeal to children at home, school, or a library.-Nancy Call, formerly at Santa Cruz Public Libraries, Aptos, CA

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 1, 2020
Preschool-G This is an engaging real-time account of a leatherback sea turtle's journey from hatchling to ocean dweller. Told in first person from the turtle's perspective, the tale begins with our heroine still inside an egg in her nest, where she's buried safe in the sand, and follows as she breaks through her shell, climbs out of the nest, and scurries frantically across the beach and into the (relative) safety of the sea. She describes each step of her arduous journey, adding immediacy to her perilous trek. Original full-color, page-filling photos align perfectly with the spare text, so that even the youngest audiences can follow along ("I can see the sky. I can see the ocean"). Back matter fills in additional information about the life cycle of a leatherback, including a simple diagram; offers realistic suggestions on how readers can help protect sea turtles; and lists books and websites for further exploration. The compelling illustrations will be popular with young audiences, whether shared during storytime or pored over up close.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)