Turtle Slept In

PreS-Gr 2–It’s the big night—the night all the sea turtle hatchlings pull themselves out of their shells and start the long, dangerous journey down the beach to the ocean. All except one. Turtle overslept and now the only sign of her siblings is a set of tracks that travel through a very busy, sunny beach full of obstacles. Her new friend Bird is anxious and skeptical that Turtle can make it, but Turtle can find fun even in challenging situations. The story is straightforward and told mostly with short pieces of dialogue, making this a suitable picture book for reading aloud. The illustrations stand out as both playful and bright, but with a sense of realism that complements the naturalistic inspiration for the story. The oil pastel and colored pencil mediums are allowed to take center stage in a style that is informal, emphasizing the story’s theme of living in the moment.