Turtle, Turtle, Watch Out!

March 1, 2010
K-Gr 2-Dangers threaten the survival of sea turtles at every stage of their lives. In this newly illustrated version of a 2000 book of the same title, beautiful pictures in watercolor, gouache, and pastels illustrate many of these risky situations, and the narrative describes how people are working to minimize these threats. The title is repeated on many of the double-page descriptions: a new hatchling is attracted to the porch light"Turtle, Turtle, Watch Out! Small hands switch off the light," so that the baby turtle changes direction away from the house and toward the moonlight on the water. Other dangers are naturalthe night herons and raccoons alert to the scrambling hatchlings, hungry fish awaiting the tiny babies tumbling in the currents. People's life-saving actions are described or shown, e.g., reaching out of a boat into the water to retrieve a plastic bag that could choke a feeding turtle. The illustrations are soft-toned but dramatically interpret such dangers as the looming cat on the beach, menacing sharks, and confining fishing nets. A two-page description of how people throughout the world are helping the seven endangered species of sea turtles survive and the thumbnail sketches of these species provide background. A good read-aloud or read-along choice for environmental awareness."Frances E. Millhouser, formerly at Chantilly Regional Library, Fairfax County, VA"

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