Little Turtle begins her journey on a beach. She dives into the ocean and it becomes her home. Every year her love for it grows stronger. She grows old enough to lay eggs, welcoming little turtles of her own into the ocean.
One day the ocean changes. Cotton buds and bottles and plastic bags fill every corner. These unfriendly things pose a great danger to Turtle. It takes kind, educated humans to tidy the ocean and return it to the place Turtle loves.
With a note from the author at the back and a double page spread explaining about the issue of plastic in the ocean and the things we can do to help, Little Turtle and the Sea is an introduction to major conservation issues.
Stories are the first step to empathy. My generation were told about these issues, but many of us were told too late and too many people thought of these things as far away problems that weren’t related to their lives. Talking about these issues from a younger age helps children to see them as indisputable fact. The only question then is how we can help.
Mostly the illustrations show a happy turtle in a beautiful blue ocean. By showing the plastic later on in the story, and showing turtle in peril only once (with an additional page showing her trapped but with help on the scene) the book cleverly reduces upset. Peril is a normal in this part of a story and children who are familiar with books won’t be too surprised that something bad has happened.
This would be a great book to use with children slightly older than the reading age of the story – it makes a quick introduction to a topic and is a book that can be read over and over as the turtle gains instant empathy and affection from readers.
Dive in, explore the ocean with Turtle and come away determined to help. Perfect for exploring marine conservation issues.
- Little Turtle and the Sea by Becky Davies and Jennie Poh is available now from Little Tiger Press. (RRP £11.99)
