The Book of Turtles

For Ages 4-8. Any book by science writer Sy Montgomery (The Soul of an Octopus, 2016; The Good Good Pig, 2007) will be readable, packed with information, ,just a generally good read. She has the rare ability to write to children as well as adults, without in any way talking down to them, rather informing, as she does in this rather remarkable and elegantly presented primer on turtles. I’ve not come across her illustrator, Matt Patterson, before but he is a perfect match for this in this book,, producing meticulously accurate and detailed drawings of a host of turtles, from small (the three-inch long speckled padloper tortoise, native to Namibia and western South Africa) to large (the leatherback sea turtle, at 2,000 pounds and up to seven feet long, the fourth heaviest species of reptile alive today [three species of crocodiles weigh more]). Drawings and text show how the turtle’s body is put together. The giant tortoise in the Seychelles can live up to 250 years. Turtles can learn to negotiate mazes and respond to light cues and touch a platform with its flipper to get food. Some hunt, others can climb a chain-link fence. And they talk to each other, the babies of some species starting even before they’re out of the egg. “In the movie Jurassic Park, one of the sounds the velociraptors make is actually a soundtrack of tortoises mating.”) And they have personalities, from shy and reclusive to sociable, wanting their shells scratched or bellies rubbed. The book ends with a [plea to help us preserve these precious cohabitors of our earth and a primer on what we can do to help. The last sentence in the book: “Stepping in to protect [turtles] gives us humans aa great opportunity: it lets us take our turn to uphold the health of our planet.” If you have a child or grandchild, niece or young neighbor, aged four to eight, this is as good a book as you could get for them as a present.

Twos and threes love having this book read to them, but older readers also enjoy it. Illustrations are well-done.

What a stunning book! Full of stunning illustrations and fascinating information, the book taught me a lot about turtles. The wide variety of different species and the ways they live are highlighted in this picture book for children. Turtles climbing fences, turtles with heads that look like leaves, and turtles communicate underwater are all highlighted in this book. The author and illustrator combine their impressive talents to create this work of art that I very much plan to share with my students. Sharing stories of specific animals along with specific species provides an intimate look at an animal that is all too easy to overlook. I often prefer photographs in my science books, but the illustrations here are so amazing that they come very close to looking like photos but with a soft artistic touch. The paintings are just amazing. All I can do is advise you to look at them yourself. One of my favorite books of 2023.

We’re going to a birthday party this week and we always give books as gifts. When I asked my daughter for ideas on a book to give, she responded that her friend loves turtles, so we should try to find a book about turtles. I honestly think I found this one just searching on Amazon, and saw it was rated highly and I liked the illustrations, so I went for it. We read it tonight before wrapping it (we can’t be the only ones who do that) and fell in LOVE. Gorgeous life-like illustrations and packed with interesting facts, but all with PERSONALITY. I laughed aloud reading this, honestly! The celebrity profiles were my favorite, which is why I included them in my photo. Because it’s so dense with facts, you won’t mind reading it over and over, and because it’s written with such a fun voice, you won’t mind reading it over and over! This is a requirement for picture books I own for my sanity, and I think I will have to buy this one for our home collection. I will also be confidently gifting this over and over. Just get this already! You won’t regret it.

Well-organizedand informative with beautiful images. The book is a pleasure to use.

A challenging read for young child 7 and up. If they like turtles it's the book for them.

This book is a delight for anyone who loves turtles. It offers key educational info about these fascinating creatures, including how to help them There is coverage of many different species, and the accompanying painted illustrations are gorgeous. This is great for turtle-lovers of all ages. It is a very quick and fun read, while also being a feast for the eyes.

I love/read all of Sy Montgomery’s books but this one is extra special because of the beautiful illustrations. It looks like a photo on the cover but it’s actually a gorgeous illustration by the talented Matt Patterson.

Ich liebe sie einfach! :D