The Voyage of Turtle Rex[VOYAGE OF TURTLE REX][Library Binding]

by KurtCyrus

The Voyage of Turtle Rex <> Library Binding <> KurtCyrus <> HarcourtChildren'sBooks

Genres: Picture Books, Dinosaurs, Childrens, Animals, Science, Storytime, Nonfiction

Library Binding

First published April 4, 2011

Reviews

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rhyming text and great illustrations celebrate the life of the archelon in prehistoric times.

[Lauran Ferguson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book because I learned things that I hadn't been aware of before. Therefore, I believe that children will enjoy it also. The illustrations used darker tones for the most part, but were still artfully done. Overall, I think it is an interesting view of the history of sea turtles and children will definitely enjoy it.

[Irina Su · Rating 4 out of 5]

The ancestor of todays turtles was the achelon. It started its life by hatching from an egg and digging its way to the surface. It lived on the shore which was teeming with dinosaurs. Once the archelon swam into the ocean it was even more vulnerable. There were huge creatures all around looking for something to eat. A beautiful tangle of seaweed was a safe place for the archelon to grow up and get bigger until it felt it no longer needed to live in hiding. She grew to be two tons and was no longer vulnerable to creatures such as sharks. When she encountered a mosasaur, she knew what to do. She hid under the sand on the sea floor like a flounder does today. One day an instinctual call told her it was time to swim back to the shore where she was born. There she mated with a male archelon and laid eggs in the sand. In addition to beautiful pictures, and well written verse, the author leaves the reader with a note about how there were seas in parts of North America that are now landlocked. Turtles are still vulnerable to predators but also to human activities. This book helps the reader appreciate the amazing life cycle that archelons and modern turtles share.

[Clarissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

An introduction to the life of prehistoric sea turtles called archelon. My science loving preschooler/kindergartner would have adored this book. Now that they are a teen, I won't be reading it aloud at home, but if you have a young child who loves science or nature this would make a wonderful bedtime story. If your child is like mine was, you may end up reading this book again and again! A great book for children who like dinosaurs!

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informative about prehistoric "turtles" and the similarities to current turtles. Lyrical, almost rhyming at times - I think story times will really enjoy this story. Both for lovers of dinosaurs and ocean creatures.
I look forward to reading this to my library group for "Ocean of Possibilities".

[Lynn Davidson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A tiny turtle hatches and digs herself out of the sand. Immediately she has to hide from a dinosaur until it is safe to scurry into the sea. There she is faced with more Jurassic dangers to hide from. This story tells what life was probably like for sea turtles long, long ago - animals that still live on the earth long after the dinosaurs are extinct. Fabulous illustrations.

[Anthony · Rating 3 out of 5]

The adventures and survival skills of the sea turtle from primeval beaches to the current time. Having survived long after the archelon, misasaur, pterosaur, and the plesiosaur, the sea turtle still survives, and swims on as told in rhyme.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an easy to read book that teaches us about the voyage a turtle. The colors are calming and it feels like you are under the sea at times with the light shining through. It shows the obstacles that a turtle may be faced with along their journey.

[Jessica · Rating 1 out of 5]

A turtle is born on the shore and avoids dinosaurs on the beach and in the ocean, then comes back to lay eggs. I was just not very interested in this book, and I didn't really like the style of the pictures.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful use of figurative language!

[Kaycee Monnens · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the rhyme scheme and the author’s intent to bring awareness to the endangerment of the sea turtle

[Lara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy poetry, beautiful illustrations, and dinosaurs! What's not to love! A great read for STEM programs on turtles or dinosaurs, or one to pull out for a Dinovember storytime/program.

[wildct2003 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good

[Ana Fogg · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Voyage of Turtle Rex was a very unique and intriguing story to read. I loved how realistic and detailed the illustrations were while still maintaining a childlike style. I would recommend this book for grades 3 or higher as part of a history and/or science lesson or unit! I have no particular reason for docking a star, I just have a slight feeling that the story could have been a tad bit better :)

[Sam Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️⭐️⭐️

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Voyage of Turtle Rex by Kurt Cyrus (Goodreads Author) follows the life of a prehistoric giant sea-turtle.

A prehistoric giant sea turtle hatches, avoids dinos on the beach and dives into the ocean. It avoids sea predators, hiding in seaweed, diving deep, and burrowing in the mud. Growing to weigh two tons, it returns to the beach where it hatched to lay eggs, then swims away. Many shelled creatures still exist today.

The text is in bold. Some sounds and actions are in larger fonts. An Arthur's note talks about Archelon and the danger of extinction facing today's sea turtles.

Cyrus' detailed digital illustrations focus on the many animals of the prehistoric era. Varying perspectives add interest. My favorite illustrations include the cover, title page, dinos on the beach, turtles rushing for the water, turtle in an ocean of teeth, seaweed hotel, two-ton turtle, turtle in the silt, turtles digging, and modern shelled creatures.

This blend of story and science should entertain dinosaur lovers. The rhymes are smooth and the illustrations attract and keep the interest of readers. I found the jump from small to all grown up rather abrupt. I do wish that all the animals pictured had been identified in the back or on endpapers. That said, this is still an interesting story, and though brief reminds me a bit of a childhood favorite, Minn of the Mississippi. Recommended for school and poublic library collections.

For ages 4 to 8, prehistoric, science, sea-turtles, rhymes, dinosaurs, and fans of Kurt Cyrus.

[Tasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Follow the story of a baby sea turtle starting with her hatching under the sand. But there is something very special about this little turtle, she’s growing up surrounded by dinosaurs! So what is a little turtle to do to survive? She’s got to find safety and then grow, grow as big as she can. She eventually grows into an enormous two-ton archelon. Eventually something inside her calls her to return to the shore, so she leaves the safety of the silt at the bottom and heads back to land. There she digs a nest for her eggs and buries them before returning to the sea. The book then talks about modern shelled animals who are descendants of the great prehistoric sea turtles.

Cyrus, author of Tadpole Rex, has added another thrilling book that extends the landscape of the dinosaurs to include more creatures. Here sea turtles are celebrated in rhymes that make the book very entertaining and fun to read. Cyrus offers just the right mix of scientific fact and story line, keeping the book anchored in fascinating science but also fast-moving.

His illustrations are dramatic as the tiny turtle struggles to survive at sea after a harrowing crawl to the water near dinosaurs. All of the many predators around her add to the interest and excitement both in the text and the illustrations. Cyrus uses bold lines, effective textures and a surprisingly soft color palette to create the images.

Perfect for both dinosaur and turtle fans, this book is sure to find an eager audience in elementary and public libraries. Appropriate for ages 4-7.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story of an archelon, a prehistoric turtle, is told in rhyming verses that sparkle and show how fortunate that turtle is to have survived all the perils in its path. The tiny turtle hatches and then makes it way to sea amid predators on land and sea, and after enough time has passed, she too grows to an enormous size and returns to the beach to lay her own eggs. I loved some of the phrases used to describe her journey: "Dig! Dig! Dig!" (unpaginated), "an ocean of teeth" (unpaginated), "Sploosh went the waves. Fizz went the foam. Swish went the flippers in search of a home" (unpaginated). The book ends by informing readers that while the archelon is now extinct, there are seven species of sea turtles in existence today. The back matter is rather poignant as readers ponder how sea turtles somehow managed to survive against all odds, only to face challenges caused by humans. The illustrations feature fantastic close-up views of the turtle as she swims in the ocean and then rests in the sand while depositing her eggs. Dinosaurs of all sorts fill the background, reminding readers of how hard her journey of survival must have been. This one is a treat for the ears and the eyes.

[Kyle Turck · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Voyage of Turtle Rex is a very cool book, as it shows the lifespan of a sea turtle, from hatching to growing up in the ocean, ending with the sea turtle laying eggs of their very own to start the cycle all over again. The reason I enjoyed this book so much though, was that this book focuses on prehistoric turtles, so while the struggle to survive continues today for turtles, the dangers that the turtle in the story faced (monstrous sea predators and dinosaurs), opens up a whole new world for children to explore.

I would recommend this to early readers, mainly 1st - 2nd grade, as while it does use a rhyming pattern and works well with phonemic awareness, there are some very unfamiliar words that go along with the prehistoric theme. This book definitely teaches children about a world they are probably not too familiar with as well, which could open up an interest in the prehistoric planet earth.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This fascinating book begins on the end pages which are painted as sand. Then you get a hint of the time period on the title page and a peek of hatching eggs. This tiny prehistoric turtle must crawl up and out to sea without being eaten by one of the many predators on the beach. The listener (great read aloud) is hoping once in the water the baby turtle will be safe. But the ocean is full of danger. This book is painted on the blue/greens of the ocean and the oversized pages bring the animals into perceptive. Measuring out the size of the Turtle Rex gives the students a better idea of how awesome this animal was. The rhyme and the dinosaurs names make this a tricky book to read aloud without practice.

Reviews & Awards
Kirkus Review starred 03/01/11
Publishers Weekly starred 03/21/11

New York Times 04/10/11
School Library Journal starred 05/01/11

[Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book follows the life of a turtle during the time of the dinosaurs. Starting with her hatching from her egg and going into the ocean where she grows and explores. Then one day she goes back to where she was born to lay her own eggs and start the posses over again.
Although we don’t have giant turtles and dinosaurs anymore we do still have regular turtles but many of them are in danger of going extinct. This book shows how important even little life it and how when given the change can grow into something wonderful. The end of the book Cyrus talks about how human life has put many sea turtles at risk. This book can help encourage kids to make a difference and try to help the turtles because all life is important.

[Jenna Renner]

This book is a rhyming story about archelon and other dinosaurs from hatching from an egg, then to living in the sea and then continuing the life cycle by laying eggs and the eggs hatching again. I really liked how this story was told using a rhyme which I think would keep children interested. Also the illustrations are very detailed and I think students could spend a lot of time examining all of the details in the illustrations.The illustrator uses very bold colors and lines and it makes the pictures very interesting. I thought that this was a good book especially to share with young children.

[Taylor Walczak · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a creative way to learn about dinosaurs in a different manner. The colorful illustrations really draw someone's eye and the subject matter is told in a way that keeps a reader hooked on it. We learn the story of an ancient turtle who's just trying to get by and we not only learn about her, but we learn about life in the prehistoric times for a turtle. Children will run into some familiar dinosaurs, like T-Rex, but they'll also run into some unfamiliar ones, like our turtle friend who is an archelon. Told in a way that captures attention, this picture book mixes science with literature and is a perfect dual purpose book.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

I know that Turtle Rex received starred reviews from SLJ and Kirkus, but really, I didn't love it. The pictures are interesting and add tension to the text. The text itself rhymes and tells about the dangers that a baby sea turtle faced in a prehistoric world. I'm not sure, however, why this book isn't nonfiction. I would definitely purchase it for a school library collection, even if I personally didn't think it was great.

Recommended for grades 1 and 2, nonfiction and dinosaur lovers will certainly enjoy this selection.

[Karen Arendt · Rating 5 out of 5]

A rhyming story about archelon and other dinosaurs from hatching to living in the sea to continuing the cycle by hatching eggs again. An author note at the end provides more information about archelon. Perhaps the best part of this book (besides the rhyming) is the illustrations. From the end paper I was drawn in by the multi-colored brown and tan specks that resembled sand. The bold lines and colors jump off the page and draw the reader in. A child could spend a lot of time looking at the details in each full page spread. Awesome illustrations.

[Sarah W · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book submerses the reader in the life cycle of Archelon, a giant sea turtle associated with the Cretaceous Period in a series of rhyming couplets. The artwork throughout the book pulls the reader into a shallow sea over North America where Archelon lived.

Young readers may well be surprised by the perspectives offered in the illustrations when they see dinosaurs seem small next to a sea turtle. This book would be great to add depth to a dinosaur unit or to pair with movie clips of turtles today as they trace the path from egg to sea and back again.

[Magila · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

I will admit that I was wooed by the idea of a dinosaur book in the sea. The story of the turtle itself was only ok. The art work was pastel colors and ok. The onomatopoeia was good.

Overall, boys and girls might find this book equally appealing because the sea turtle was cute. The information about the history of the sea adds a bit of value to the book. And dinosaurs!

It feels a bit like Nemo reimagined. Some adventure, some circle of life messages, but very lightly conveyed.

Grab this one at the library.

[Nancy Jo Lambert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! What's rare and exciting book! There are the elements of nonfiction about archelon and dinosaurs and other prehistoric sea creatures. In the author's note there is also information about the threat of extinction to the sea turtle. Then, the whole book is told in beautiful rhyming couplets accompanied by wonderful illustrations. There are certainly expository elements as well. This will be a great recommend for teachers! Also, a great read aloud.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The life cycle of a sea turtle . . . only of one born at the time of the dinosaurs. From hatching on prehistoric sands to swimming out to the wide sargasso sea to graze to the return as an adult to lay eggs, the story is familiar (as I'm a sea turtle fanatic!) but populated with prehistoric creatures. Text is simple (deceptively -- carefully crafted language, a gently rhyming poem) enough for storytimes and young readers. Definitely going to use this for a STEM storytime!

[Victoria · Rating 2 out of 5]

Honestly, I did not care for this book that much. I could not really see a theme or meaning behind it. The vocabulary usage was too high for children I think, and some of it was frightening. The overall story was not even that interesting or beneficial. It talked about the voyage of a turtle through life. There was not anything that really got my attention. The illustrations were nice and well done. They were the best part of the book.