Follow the Moon Home: A Tale of One Idea, Twenty Kids, and a Hundred Sea Turtles

K-Gr 3—The authors deliver an eloquent environmental message while demonstrating how kids can change the world through teamwork and perseverance. When Vivienne moves into her new home by the sea, she is nervous about finding her way. Her teacher and her classmates welcome her as they jump into an exciting class project—the students are looking for a problem to solve. After school at the beach, Vivienne and her new friend, Clementine, discover that the baby loggerhead sea turtles that are about to hatch may need help making it down to the ocean. The newborn turtles instinctively move toward the strongest light they see, and the brightly lit beach houses could point them in the wrong direction. Vivienne is determined to help the tiny creatures. The students in Mr. J.'s class begin working on the project by gathering information. How will they convince the homeowners along the shoreline to turn off their lights? The children soon involve the entire town as they launch their Lights Out for Loggerheads campaign. By showing the multiple channels that the students work through to raise awareness (posters, fliers, bake sales, a town meeting, the local newspaper, and the Internet), the authors expose readers to accessible, affordable ways to raise issue awareness in communities. So's lovely and bright watercolor illustrations chronicle each stage of the children's cause. The artist deftly captures the energy and enthusiasm in the classroom and the tranquility of the shoreline. The shadowy scene on the darkened beach as the turtles emerge from their nests is particularly atmospheric.