Overview
Why did the turtle cross the road? Five years after a female painted turtle hatches from her shell, she is ready to lay eggs of her own. This is a dangerous task because there is a road between her and the perfect nesting site. She starts to cross, but a huge car is hurtling her way. It stops just in time, and the kind people help her to safety. So the next time you see a Turtle Crossing sign, keep your eyes open—if you’re lucky you just might see a painted turtle on her way to make a nest. Turtle Crossing is a 2007 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.
Synopsis
Why did the turtle cross the road?
Five years after a female painted turtle hatches from her shell, she is ready to lay eggs of her own. This is a dangerous task because there is a road between her and the perfect nesting site. She starts to cross, but a huge car is hurtling her way. It stops just in time, and the kind people help her to safety.
So the next time you see a Turtle Crossing sign, keep your eyes open—if you're lucky you just might see a painted turtle on her way to make a nest.
Anita Barnes Lowen - Children's Literature
A newly hatched turtle claws her way out of the dark nest and into the light of day. Soon she begins a march across the field and road to find the pond that will become her home. There in the cool, green water, she spends her summer, eating larva, minnows and tadpoles, and avoiding predators that might snap her up. All summer long she grows and when the days turn cold, she burrows into the mud at the bottom of the pond where she will sleep through the winter months. Summers of growing and winters of sleeping pass until the little turtle is strong and tough and ready to mate. In June she looks for a place to dig a nest; the perfect spot is where she was born. So she drags her heavy body out of the pond, up the sandy bank, and across the road where cars zip back and forth. This time she is fortunate; she reaches the other side safely, lays her eggs, and heads home. But as she begins to cross the pavement, the turtle sees the headlights of a fast moving car. She has only one defense—to stop and pull her head, tail and legs deep inside her shell. Will the people in the car see her? And if they do, can they stop in time? A wonderfully informative book rich with accurate detail about the painted turtle's life cycle and illustrated with eye-catching illustrations. Highly recommended. 2006, Henry Holt, Ages 5 to 8.
Editorials
Children's Literature
A newly hatched turtle claws her way out of the dark nest and into the light of day. Soon she begins a march across the field and road to find the pond that will become her home. There in the cool, green water, she spends her summer, eating larva, minnows and tadpoles, and avoiding predators that might snap her up. All summer long she grows and when the days turn cold, she burrows into the mud at the bottom of the pond where she will sleep through the winter months. Summers of growing and winters of sleeping pass until the little turtle is strong and tough and ready to mate. In June she looks for a place to dig a nest; the perfect spot is where she was born. So she drags her heavy body out of the pond, up the sandy bank, and across the road where cars zip back and forth. This time she is fortunate; she reaches the other side safely, lays her eggs, and heads home. But as she begins to cross the pavement, the turtle sees the headlights of a fast moving car. She has only one defense—to stop and pull her head, tail and legs deep inside her shell. Will the people in the car see her? And if they do, can they stop in time? A wonderfully informative book rich with accurate detail about the painted turtle's life cycle and illustrated with eye-catching illustrations. Highly recommended. 2006, Henry Holt, Ages 5 to 8.—Anita Barnes Lowen