turtles

The True and Lucky Life of a Turtle by Sy Montgomery – Book Recommendation

| Tasha

The True and Lucky Life of a Turtle by Sy Montgomery, illustrated by Matt Patterson (9780063325166)

This nonfiction picture book shares the story of Fire Chief, a common snapping turtle. This turtle is currently over 60 years old and living in a pond near a fire station. Throughout his life, Fire Chief was lucky. He survived being so small that almost anything else could eat him. He found a safe pond to spend his summers and another one nearby to overwinter in. But as the town grew up around him, he was very unlucky one day as he moved to his winter pond and was hit by a car. That’s when the Turtle Rescue League came to help. They patched his shell and helped him regain the use of his back legs. When Fire Chief was ready to return to his pond, the humans there also decided to lend a hand to get him a space that would work for him all year long. 

The author and illustrator of the award-winning The Book of Turtles return with another book celebrating these animals. The author and illustrator also help rescue turtles in their hometown and know Fire Chief personally. This connection to the animals and to this story really make this book special. The book wisely mixes turtle facts and information with Fire Chief’s own life and story. There is so much to enjoy here in its warm tone and clear delight in its subject matter. That is matched by the art which takes close-up looks at Fire Chief and his habitat, getting readers closer and more intimate than photography could. 

A majestic look at one very lucky turtle. Appropriate for ages 4-7.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Clarion Books.

3 Wonderful Watery Picture Books

| Tasha

The Peddler of Puddles by Beth Ferry and Tom Lichtenheld (9780063318342)

The peddler of puddles is a turtle who moves slowly across the area. Using his heavy puddle machine makes puddles for all sorts of creatures along the way. Puddles for ducks, frogs, insects and children. He doesn’t ask for anything in return, but the others often give him food or smiles in thanks. When he reaches the seashore for the first time, the peddler is shocked. It’s an enormous puddle! He loves playing with a girl in the sea, but when it’s time to go his cart is stuck in the sand. He almost gives up, but then his friends that he’s helped along the way come along with a big surprise.

With just enough machinery and tinkering, this soggy read is also sunny throughout. Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from library copy.

Shark Girl by Kate Beaton (9781250184924)

In a story delightfully different than Little Mermaid, Shark Girl sets out to protect sealife by joining the crew of a fishing vessel. She wants a quick revenge but soon finds out that it takes a lot more to get a crew to mutiny even against an awful captain. But through hard work together, skill in fishing, and studying human nature, Shark Girl starts to make new connections. It is then that the captain has a plan that will keep Shark Girl in his boat forever. What’s a toothy girl to do? Beaton is a wonder, effortlessly moving between children’s picture books and award-winning adult graphic memoirs.

This book reads aloud beautifully telling a story of both ecology and girl power. Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from library copy.

We Leap Together by Christopher Silas Neal (9780593812648)

A human mother and child is shown next to a mother whale and her calf in this smart picture book. The similarities between the two lives are emphasized with busy lanes of car traffic compared to the busy shoals of fish. They listen to songs, blow bubbles, dive deep, see colorful creatures, and wave to friends. The bring the book full circle, the humans board a whale-watching boat and the two families leap together in joy. Told in simple sentences, this picture book is approachable and clearly shows our connection to nature and our similarities with other creatures. The illustrations are simple too, telling the story just as profoundly as the words.

Just right for sharing and discussing. Appropriate for ages 3-6.

Reviewed from library copy.

Turtle Walk by Matt Phelan

| Tasha
Turtle Walk Cover Image

Turtle Walk by Matt Phelan (9780062934130)

A turtle family sets out on a long slow walk, leaving their spot by the pond behind. They start off in the spring through fields of flowers, bouncing rabbits, and robins. They cross a river and curl up together on a rainy night. They continue on under bright yellow flowers, seeing insects, bubbles, and fireflies. They keep walking into autumn with its changing leaves, apples, and chipmunks gathering acorns. They pass jack-o-lanterns and fall asleep together in the falling leaves. Next comes winter with the world turned white with snow. They finally reach their destination after a long climb. And now it’s not time to go slow anymore!

Told in simple language, this book is a gentle and slow look at the changing seasons. With a refrain of “Are we there yet?” the answer seems it will never be yes. Throughout the book there is a joy in the present moment, a pleasure in the journey itself and the changing seasons around the turtle family. The final pages have a burst of speedy joy in them, and then a return back to their burrow for the winter, once again piled together asleep.

The art is simple as well, the turtles moving through their environment, crossing rivers and streams, watching the wildlife around them, and marveling at special moments in each season. Done in watercolor, the bright green turtles are always the focus of the images as the seasonal colors swirl around them.

A joyous yet quiet look at seasons that would make a great board book too. Appropriate for ages 2-4.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Greenwillow Books.

The Box Turtle by Vanessa Roeder

| Tasha

The Box Turtle by Vanessa Roeder

The Box Turtle by Vanessa Roeder (9780735230507)

When he was born, Terrance came out without a shell. So his parents gave him a box instead. Terrance loved his box shell. It fit just right, kept him dry, safe and protected. He could even share it with his best friend, a hermit crab. But when Terrance met some other turtles, they mocked his box. So he set out to find a better shell option. He tried all sorts of new “shell” like mail boxes, window boxes, a jack-in-the-box, a boom box, and even a treasure chest, but nothing worked. When his best friend offered up his own shell, Terrance realized that everyone was more than their shells. So he went back to his beloved box, which had seen some wear and tear itself. With some help from his friends and family, they transformed it into exactly what Terrance was looking for. 

Told with plenty of humor, including some bare turtle bottoms, this picture book embraces being different. It also looks at how casual cruel statements can impact a person, until their self-esteem repairs enough to stand strong once again. The art is done with speech bubbles and some framing that makes it feel a bit like a graphic novel but with a softness and pastel colors that keep it very friendly for small children. 

Full of resilience and tenacity, this picture book will have you thinking inside the box. Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Dial Books for Young Readers.

Review: Truman by Jean Reidy

| Tasha

Truman by Jean Reidy.jpg

Truman by Jean Reidy, illustrated by Lucy Ruth Cummins (9781534416642)

Truman is a small urban turtle. He’s about the size of a donut and lives with Sarah high above the busy streets filled with taxis and buses. He is very happy spending quiet time with Sarah. But then one day, Sarah seems different. She is wearing a bow in her hair, a new sweater and has a big backpack. She even gives him some extra green beans as a treat. Before Sarah leaves, she touches Truman and tells him to be brave. And down on the street, Sarah boards a bus for the first time! Truman tries to wait for Sarah to return, but she is gone much longer than she ever has been before. So Truman finds a way out of his aquarium and makes a long journey towards the apartment door. He is being brave and will find Sarah!

Reidy tells a first day of school story from the point of view of a pet left behind by a child. It’s a wonderful answer to what pets do when children leave for school and will also speak to younger siblings being left behind at home when their older siblings head to school. The emotions of Truman are clearly conveyed and his worry is tangible even though readers will know exactly what is actually happening.

Cummins’ illustrations play with perspective nicely as Truman’s point of view is shared as well as views of the busy city street below the apartment. Big and bold, the illustrations show Truman’s limited world grow bigger and bigger as he explores the apartment landscape alone.

A look at bravery and the deep love of a pet, even a small, green one. Appropriate for ages 2-4.

Reviewed from copy provided by Atheneum Books for Young Readers. 

 

Review: The Hug by Eoin McLaughlin

| Tasha

The Hug by Eoin McLaughlin

The Hug by Eoin McLaughlin, illustrated by Polly Dunbar (9780571348756)

This picture book is written as a split picture book that flips over with each character telling their side of the story, literally. Two creatures are looking for a hug. Hedgehog wants a hug, but no one will hug them. They can’t figure out why until an owl offers the information that they are too spiky to be hugged by most animals. Tortoise wants a hug too. He asks various animals as well, but they all refuse. The same owl explains to Tortoise that he is too hard for most animals to want to hug him. Then though, Hedgehog and Tortoise meet in the center of the book!

Such a simple little book, this offers a great amount of pleasure when the two animals find one another. Even though readers will know that Hedgehog hugs Tortoise, the book is worth flipping over to read it from Tortoise’s point of view too. McLaughlin’s text is fresh and simple, much like Dunbar’s illustrations. One little element that adds to the fun is watching both Tortoise and Hedgehog get more and more grimy from the animals they meet, picking up bits of dirt and fuzz along their journeys. The hug though, the hug at the middle is pure bliss.

Perfect for when you need a hug, even if you are a bit prickly or too hard. Appropriate for ages 2-4.

Reviewed from copy provided by Faber & Faber.

Review: Giraffe Problems by Jory John

| Tasha

Giraffe Problems by Jory John

Giraffe Problems by Jory John, illustrated by Lane Smith (9781524772048)

Edward the giraffe hates his long neck. It’s ridiculously long and bendy. There’s no other animal with a neck like his and he just wishes it was more normal. He has tried hiding his neck under scarves and bushes, high water and trees, but nothing works. All of the other animals just stare at him, noticing his neck all of the time. Then one evening, Edward meets Cyrus, a turtle. Cyrus loves Edward’s long bendy neck and asks for Edward’s help in fetching a high banana from a tree. The two end up praising each other’s necks and figuring out that a different perspective is very helpful, particularly if bow ties are involved.

From the team that created Penguin Problems, this picture book has a great mix of humor and empathy. The writing is pitch perfect, told in the voices of Edward and Cyrus directly. Edward’s worries about his neck are presented in a conversational tone that begs to be shared aloud. Cyrus’ voice is entirely different, offering lengthy monologues about bananas but then shifting to become conversational too.

Smith’s art is textural with graphical elements that are compelling. The characters stand out strongly against the light background that hints at bright sun. Visual humor adds to the silliness of the book, creating just the right balance. The book uses different page turns and perspectives that make for a dynamic read.

A great read-aloud pick for any stories about self-esteem or giraffes. Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Random House Books for Young Readers.

Review: Turtle Island by Kevin Sherry

| Tasha

turtle island

Turtle Island by Kevin Sherry

The author of I’m the Biggest Thing in the Ocean returns with a picture book all about friendship.  Turtle is very big but Turtle is also all alone and getting lonely.  Then one day, a ship wrecked near him and he rescued a bear, an owl, a cat and a frog from the ocean waters.  They climbed aboard his shell and Turtle supplied them with fish to eat.  Happily, Owl could knit, Bear could build, Frog could cook, and Cat could draw.  The four quickly went to work and created a home aboard Turtle.  Turtle wasn’t lonely any more.  One might think the book would end there, but instead the four smaller animals got very homesick and missed their families.  They had to return home, leaving Turtle all alone in the big ocean again.  What is a big lonely turtle to do, especially now that he realizes the importance of having good friends?

Sherry has a way with simple storytelling.  He manages to convey complicated emotions using a combination of his storyline and his illustrations.  Here the impact of having friends is looked at with humor and through a unique relationship of a huge turtle and characters riding on his back.  It’s a very nice metaphor for needing to support friends in different ways.

As with all of Sherry’s books, his cartoony illustrations are child friendly and add to the humor.  They keep this story from becoming overly sweet, showing goggle-eyed animals in different colors and always clearly showing that Turtle is simply huge.

Gently funny, simple and honest, this picture book is a friend to any story time on friendship or turtles.  Appropriate for ages 2-4.

Reviewed from library copy.

Review: The Tortoise & the Hare by Jerry Pinkney

| Tasha

tortoise and the hare

The Tortoise and the Hare by Jerry Pinkney

Wow.  This companion book to Pinkney’s Caldecott Medal winning The Lion & the Mouse is another outstanding book.  Set in the deserts of the Southwest, the story has all sorts of animals gathered to watch the race, including badgers, lynx, mice, and vultures.  All of them wear at least one piece of clothing, from hats to bandanas to pants.  As the pages of the book turn, readers will get to see how each of the animals approaches the race, from the frenzy and then sloth of the hare to the steadiness of the tortoise.  Readers will get a sense of the slowness also from the words on the page that every so tantalizingly make out phrases as the pages turn. 

Told in few words, the book is all about the illustrations which are magnificent.  Filled with tiny details to linger over, each illustration is beautifully composed and helps move the story forward.  Pinkney stays true to the classic tale, not changing any of the storyline.  He manages to take stories that can become overly wordy and with images alone tell their story and make them appropriate and thrilling for a young audience.  I will always see his illustrations when I hear this story.  That is talent!

Quite simply, this is another masterpiece by Pinkney.  A must-have book for every library serving preschoolers.  Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from library copy.