Turtle Trackers

by Samantha Wheeler

Ten-year-old Isaac is flat out. Helping his mum run a caravan park on the Queensland coast means no time for fun. So when he finds a sea turtle nesting on the beach, he’s disappointed that he can’t volunteer as a turtle tracker to watch over her eggs and hatchlings.
To make matters worse, famous travel blogger Eddie Eastwood and his mischievous dog come to stay. Isaac must pull out all the stops because a zero-star review from Eddie would spell disaster for his mum and the park.
How can Isaac find the time to protect the turtles and make a difference?
Turtle Trackers will appeal to junior conservationists and wildlife-loving younger readers and aims to bring more awareness to these amazing animals and their unique nesting rituals.

Paperback

Published March 1, 2018

Reviews

[Z.R. Southcombe · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story that is perfect for any young turtle lover. Set in Australia, it is told from the perspective of an enthusiastic young boy. A good story, with practical ideas for people who want to make a real difference in the world.

[Dimity Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I find it very hard to fault Wheeler's work. Simultaneously entertaining and informative, her eco -issue-based junior novels have a keep-forever-quality that calls loudly to young animal lovers.

Turtle Trackers is exactly that; a rousing, endearing tale about a young boy still in the grips of grief after the loss of his father, living and maintaining a seaside caravan park with his mother who yearns to learn more about the conversation of nesting turtles that frequent the coastline. The massive fly in Issac's ointment is that he is perpetually flat out running errands for his mother, cleaning the park and maintaining relations with caravan park guests. There is precious little time for anything else including fun.

The quirky cast of permanent park guests adds colour, verve and welcome humor, while the arrival of a famous yet feisty travel blogger sends everyone into a tither. Issac tries in vain to balance his park duties with his 10-year-old-inherent urge to just be a kid and hang with his mates. Couple this with a tender desire to not let his mum down, gain a five star rating for their park and save the vulnerable baby turtles from a mysterious sinister predator and you have a kid with more on his plate than King Henry the VIII.

Wheeler's tempered prose introduces mayhem and energy where needed whilst supporting Issac's own personal struggles with an overload of expectations and responsibility not to mention emotional turmoil. Conservation issues and environmental awareness, strong characteristics of Wheeler's work, are expertly woven into an engaging, easy moving narrative that fascinates as much as it educates. Young confident readers will get a real buzz out of tracking turtles with Issac. Highly recommended for lower primary aged readers.

[Pauline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Samantha Wheeler’s stories about children, animals and conservation are a fabulous addition to any school library. Her novels touch on the issues that matter to children; family, friends and fitting in to the community, while also touching on those very important environmental issues particularly unique to an Australian setting. Isaac’s story and his passion for saving the wildlife, specifically turtles, in his area in Queensland will resonate with many children and adults. Isaac desperately wants to be a turtle tracker volunteer but being under 18 he needs his Mum to be a supervisor. He works very hard helping his Mum run their caravan park and Christmas holidays are their busiest time but sometimes things have a way of going terribly wrong. There is a great deal of information about the QLD coast and the wildlife of this area in this book that readers will learn so much while being engrossed in Isaac’s story. This is another brilliant read from Samantha and we just loved it.

Suitable for 8+ - conservation, turtles, Mon Repos, feral animals, family, travel blogging

[Anna Davidson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great story about a boy and his dedication to the plight of the turtles near his home. Strong environmental themes. Terrific Australian story for middle primary.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am quite enjoying this series.
Makes the reader more aware of conservation issues while presenting a story in an appealing manner.

[Christine Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

great read with my 9 year old daughter.