The lovingly illustrated One Tiny Turtle by Nicola Davies (illustrated by Jane Chapman; Candlewick, 2005) combines just the right amount of rhythmic text, full page illustrations, and factual subtexts to immerse the reader into world of sea turtles. The picture book begins with a scientific note about turtles. Then, a story starts with a young

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Follow the Moon Home: A Tale of One Idea, Twenty Kids, and a Hundred Sea Turtles by Phillippe Cousteau and Deborah Hopkinson (illustrated by Meilo So; Chronicle, 2016). Watercolor illustrations and friendly text with unique typography share the story of a child new to the area that spearheads a class project. The project, “Lights Out

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The fictionalized nonfiction picture book On Kiki’s Reef by Carol L. Malnor (illustrated by Trina L. Hunner; Dawn Publications, 2014) tells about the life cycle and habitat of a sea turtle named Kiki in the coral reef habitat. Parallel text appears on each page: one provides details about Kiki’s life (in a serif font), and

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In middle grade graphic novel Saving Sunshine by Saadia Faruqi (First Second, September 2023), twin teenagers must face the ultimate punishment this vacation: no cell phones. It’s not a permanent punishment, but it sure feels like it. They can only get them back when they can get along without fighting. While their parents attend a

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In the Indian Ocean, fishermen discovered a wounded turtle, which they adopted and named her Yoshitaro. In Yoshi’s Big Swim by Mary Wagley Copp, illustrated by Kaja Kajfez (Capstone, December 2022), Yoshi’s story of healing, growing, and her final swim teach young readers not just about one loggerhead sea turtle but also about how we

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