Chase the Moon, Tiny Turtle: A Hatchling's Daring Race to the Sea

PreS-K—This picture book uses rhyming verse to follow a hatched loggerhead turtle's journey to the sea. The opening pages depict a large number of turtle eggs buried in a mound of sand. Walker's illustrations use a combination of styles and moods, including romantic swirls of the dark blue night and smiling turtles lit by a bright full moon. Jordan employs short, brisk sentences to describe the challenges and dangers in the turtle's path. Predators wait for the turtles across the sandy beach, including an owl and a crab. The text encourages the hatchling to follow the moonlight. The light is an important guide. In the afterword, Jordan advises readers to turn off any lights near nesting sites because the lights could confuse the turtles and take them off course. For the sake of preschooler and kindergartner sensibilities, no turtles are captured in this narrative. The afterword also includes additional information and several suggestions to boost turtle survival rates. VERDICT A pleasant, light offering that will fit nicely into a juvenile nonfiction picture book section.—Nancy Call, formerly at Santa Cruz P.L., Aptos, CA