From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 1–This story follows the growth and development of a painted box turtle from her birth in an underground nest to her journey to a pond, till she crosses the road to build her own nest and then crosses back to the pond. Along the way, readers learn about the dangers she faces, how she spends the winter, and mating. The illustrations, done with colored pencil over watercolor washes, with lots of watery blues and greens, give readers a close-up view of turtle behavior. A solid source for reports and general interest.
–Hope Marie Cook, Eastern Connecticut State University, Willimantic Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Gr. 1-3. This nonfiction picture book follows a painted turtle as she emerges from the ground where she hatched, crosses the road, and makes her way to a pond. There she lives and grows for five years, mates, makes her way back across the road, and lays her eggs. In a nice touch, as she crosses the road to head home, a car stops and a boy gets out to carry her to the other side. In watercolors and colored pencils, the large-scale artwork clearly depicts the turtle and her surroundings as she looks for food, warms herself in the sun, and hibernates in the mud. Cutaway views showing what is above and below ground level are particularly effective. Chrustowski uses simple words and active verbs to convey basic facts about the turtle and her habitat. A note relates additional information about characteristics and habits of turtles, including why they cross the road. Well suited to reading aloud, this colorful book offers an informative look at the life cycle of a turtle.
Carolyn PhelanCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
