Carole Crowe

Annotation: When Magdalena’s Grandmother passes away the baby turtles that they had watched being born bring comfort to the girl.

Review: For children learning to cope with death Turtle Girl could be a comforting read. The book starts with the girl’s friendship with her grandmother, who is, “as old as the turtles.” When her grandmother passes away, the young girl is at a loss and goes through many feelings. I was impressed that the author did not wrap up the story too quickly, but let the reader experience the complex emotions of grief by watching the girl slowly learn to cope with her loss. When the girl returns to care for the turtles, she is reminded of her grandmother and feels her presence. The book did not touch on what happens after one dies and there is no mention of heaven; whatever the readers’ beliefs are, the message of the book reminds us of a simple comfort: that the love of someone special who has passed away remains to live inside us. The illustrations are full of lush tropical colors and include stunning close-ups of the girl and the turtles. Especially nice is the illustration of the girl when she feels her grandmother around her; a beautiful sunset appears with colors mingling throughout the late evening sky. This book is appropriate for readers age 5-8.

Citations:
The reviewers both describe the beauty of the panoramic double page scenes of the beach and the ocean. This is a compelling aspect of the book. The reviewer for Booklist also noted that the audience will enjoy the message of protecting an endangered species. I think this is a nice aspect of the book, but the book is less about turtles than the understanding of the cycle of life in the turtles’ world and in ours.

Booklist 104.12 (Feb 15, 2008): 94(1)

School Library Journal 54.4 (April 2008): 104(1)… (meer)