Where Should Turtle Be?

June 1, 2009
Gr 1-3-A sea turtle that is blinded by the lights of houses perched on the edge of the ocean goes out into the world instead of toward the bay. Ring uses this starting point to teach readers about other kinds of turtles, such as the box turtle and the terrapin, as the sea turtle wanders through their environments. Unfortunately, the story is told in rhyme, which can make the scientific information sound stilted. Also, the beginning of the story is not well explained, which will necessitate additional information about the ways of sea turtles and why they are born on land but go immediately into the water. The illustrations, created in colored pencil and acrylics, are soft yet detailed. They are accurate, but the similarities in the colors of each environment make the pages blur together. Useful facts and reproducible games appear at the end of the book."Susan E. Murray, Glendale Public Library, AZ"

Copyright 2009 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 15, 2009
Preschool-G A baby sea turtle emerges from his nest in the sand but, taking a wrong turn, finds himself in the woods. A friendly bear explains the life of a box turtle, but that information doesnt seem to apply to himnor does that of a painted turtle at the pond or a terrapin in the salt marsh. Soon, improbably, transported about a mile and a yard by a fit of laughter, he finds himself back on the beach and makes his way to the sea. The satisfying rhythm and rhyme of the short verses make this a good choice for reading aloud. Children will sympathize with the little turtle, who listens politely to the advice of others, but follows his own heart in the end. Along the way, theyll also pick up some ideas about the habits and habitats of four types of turtles, ideas that will be reinforced and extended by the appended Turtle Fun Facts and two matching games.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)