Turtles In My Sandbox [Hardcover]

Jennifer Keats Curtis (Author), Emanuel Schongut (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 5 and up | Grade Level: K and up

Imagine finding turtle eggs in your sandbox! When a mother diamondback terrapin lays eggs in a young girl's sandbox, the girl becomes a "turtle-sitter" to help the babies safely hatch. She raises the teeny hatchlings until they become big enough to fend for themselves in the wild. Then, with the help of experts, she releases them. Along the way, she learns about these unique animals and that she has made an important contribution to their survival. The "For Creative Minds" educational section includes terrapin fun facts and a turtle habitat craft.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-3–When a diamondback terrapin lays 10 pink eggs in Maggie's backyard sandbox, the resourceful girl seeks help from local experts and agrees to become a turtle-sitter. She and her mother wait for the babies to hatch and then care for them until it's time to set them free in their ocean habitat. The author's information is correct but her prose is awkward and lacks drama. The illustrations are average in quality and often don't accurately reflect the text. For example, Mama Turtle is described as having sharp black claws, but Schongut depicts them as white in every instance. Also, in a spread in which Curtis describes the differences among the nine hatchlings, the picture portrays them as nearly identical. Back matter includes a craft, but the instructions are poor, and the activity is unlikely to engage kids.–Daisy Porter, San Jose Public Library, CA
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Review

A plethora of facts are scattered in the text. The author has used a nice technique to insert non-fiction terms into the tale while still presenting a good story…. This book is a must have for classrooms with children ages 4 to 8 and may be stretched to ages 9 and 10 when introduced in science lessons. --Children's Literature Comprehensive Database

This beautiful full color picture book was a pleasure to read to my three little inquisitive minds. Turtles in My Sandbox by Jennifer Keats Curtis comes highly recommended. --Picket News

Schongut's detailed watercolors perfectly support the text, showing readers not just up-close views of the turtles, but also their aquarium habitat and the food they eat in the wild. Sure to spark an interest in these amazing creatures, and to increase participation in Maryland's turtle project. --Kirkus Reviews

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Sylvan Dell Publishing (September 22, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 097688237X
• ISBN-13: 978-0976882374
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 8.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,704,960 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Splendid way to lean science, March 2, 2007

By 

J. Nasse "book lover/educator" (New Mexico, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Turtles In My Sandbox (Hardcover)

A few decades ago, it was a common thing to have terrapins as pets in homes and classrooms. One could win them at fairs and buy them with painted shells at seaside resorts. It was a shame then that there was not more education about terrapins and their natural habitat. Jennifer Keats Curtis' most informative book would have been welcome then as it surely is now.

Children can easily relate to Ms. Curtis' book and the tale of Maggie who finds terrapin eggs in her sandbox! With the help of the Turtle Lady, Maggie and her mother care for the eggs until the turtles hatch and are released back into the sea. It is a delight that Ms. Curtis uses the scientific terms for the body parts of the terrapins as it helps children stretch their vocabularies. Emanuel Schongut's watercolor illustrations are clear, detailed and offer excellent support to the text. The facts and color activities at the end of the book are a first-rate addition to the book. This book is highly recommended for ages 4 - 10, and will be a great addition to second to fifth grade science units in classrooms.

5.0 out of 5 stars Kimberly Coslick- Freeman "So Excited", April 1, 2007

By 

John Freeman "Kiddoodle" (Kent Island MD) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Turtles In My Sandbox (Hardcover)

As a teacher intern I am always looking for new books to integrate into my classwork and for my future classroom. This book is a wonderful resource for our students and will be a integral part of my cross-curriculum teaching. I look forward to sharing this book with all of my colleagues so they can incorporate this book into their classroom as well.
I have a 15 and 12 year old who think the book is adorable and a 6 month old along with 18 month twin niece and nephew who will soon too love it.

5.0 out of 5 stars Delightful Book Mixes Science with Turtle Fun!, March 20, 2007

By 

Donny B. Seagraves "Donny Seagraves, Author" (WINTERVILLE, GA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Turtles In My Sandbox (Hardcover)

Here's a book for young turtle lovers, especially budding scientists. It begins when Maggie finds eggs in her old sandbox by the beach. At first she doesn't know what kind of eggs she has found but soon she figures out that they are turtle eggs. Maggie and her mom learn everything they can about turtles and becoming a "turtle-sitter." They enlist the help of the "turtle lady," use online sources and anything that will help them learn how to care for the turtle eggs and then the turtles.

Excellent, well-written information on every page. Includes a helpful five-page educational supplent in the back. The illustrations are just right for this subject and young readers.