Turtle, Turtle, Watch Out!

by April Pulley Sayre, Annie Patterson (Illustrations), Lee Christiansen (Illustrator)

Hatching on a Florida beach, a baby sea turtle begins a perilous life facing such challenges as hungry herons, sea pollution, and fishing nets, in a story for budding environmentalists.

Genres: Picture Books, Science, Nonfiction, Childrens, Animals, Nature, Environment

32 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2000

About the author

April Pulley Sayre was an award-winning children’s book author of over 55 natural history books for children and adults. Her read-aloud nonfiction books, known for their lyricism and scientific precision, have been translated into French, Dutch, Japanese, and Korean. She is best known for pioneering literary ways to immerse young readers in natural events via creative storytelling and unusual perspectives.

Reviews

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sayre's environmental text walks the fine line between scolding and empowering and does so with grace and aplomb! This story focuses on a Loggerhead turtle from birth to the time she becomes a mother herself, with emphasis placed on the many dangers the turtle faces as well as the "helping hands" that help keep it safe. What I love about this text is that it presents the human dangers (such as a jeep driving close to a turtle nest, or a plastic bag floating in the sea looking very like a jellyfish turtles love to eat!)alongside the natural dangers (such as birds trying to eat the baby turtle, or sharks swimming hungrily after the adult turtle); I think this balance helps show an accurate portrait of the many challenges facing turtles in the wild and I appreciate that it was not just a bashing of careless humans! But, what I especially love is that humans are also shown as offering the "helping hands" to the sea turtles; putting up a fence around the turtle nest so the jeep won't drive over it, or pulling the plastic bag out of the ocean to dispose of it properly. This shows that, just as careless or downright cruel humans can pose dangers, thoughtful and caring humans can offer solutions. I think it's important for children to see that even "little things" make a difference (I appreciate that a child is one of those helping the turtles in the story) Even with all this "message" the text never felt heavy-handed to me and was very engaging with the refrain of "Turtle, Turtle, Watch out!" Although sensitive children might find this book too worrying, the turtle in this story does have a happy ending and there is even information in the back of the book on how you can help with turtle conservation. I understand that there are two version of this text (same text, different illustrators?) and I got the one illustrated by Christiansen and I really enjoyed those illustrations!

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you buy only one sea turtle book for your classroom, make it this one. So inspirational, and great appendices. I especially liked the pictorial note that cats are predators. I know they kill far too many songbirds, but I hadn't made the connection that they'd eat baby turtles, too. (Spay and neuter them and keep them inside, for their sake and for the sake of the critters that they consider prey, please!!)

[Lisa Vegan · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all I have to say that the illustrations in this book are truly magical! They’re amazing, beautiful, and very special. This is a gorgeous book.

The story repeats the title line frequently, which is fun for young children. On the other hand, there’s quite a bit of suspense as the turtle faces one danger after another. Given that the turtle manages to avert falling prey to a catastrophe, many times due to human intervention of one sort or another, I think the book is fine for kids of all ages.

This book has a mission and that’s fine with me: the protection of endangered sea turtles. The story is of a particular turtle, a loggerhead sea turtle, and it follows her throughout her life cycle: from egg to laying eggs of her own.

There is a short informative and heartwarming author’s note at the end about all the rescue and protection efforts to protect these turtles. There is also a how you can help portion of that note.

So, except for extremely sensitive children, I think this is an excellent book. It’s a good read aloud book (for one child or a group of children) and also a good choice for independent readers. It also would be a perfect adjunct for lessons about endangered species, marine biology, the oceans, biology, and many nature and science subjects. I’m not sure whether I’d have adored it or been scared by it, or both, when I was young. I suspect it would have been both.

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Turtle, Turtle, Watch Out!, illustrated by Lee Christiansen

Much like Brenda Z. Guiberson's Into the Sea , which follows a Green sea turtle from hatchling to mother, April Pulley Sayre examines that same life journey in a loggerhead turtle, also part of the Cheloniidae family. From the starry August night that she hatches, and must find her way into the sea, through her many years of growth and exploration, until she is ready to return to that same beach, in order to lay her own eggs, Turtle must continually navigate the dangers, both man-made and natural, of her world, watching out for everything from sharks to fishing nets...

Brought to my attention by a review that appeared in The Horn Book Magazine last year, Turtle, Turtle, Watch Out! was first published in 2000 (in this edition), with illustrations by Lee Christiansen, and then reprinted in 2010, with new artwork by Annie Patterson. It was this second edition that was reviewed, as it turns out, but my library only owns the earlier version, so that's the one I read. I'm not sorry I did (although I loved Patterson's work in Whale Snow ), as this version is most engaging. Christiansen's pastel artwork is lovely, capturing the deep hues and mysterious appeal of the sea. Sayre's narrative is informative, and also hopeful, documenting not just the dangers that human activity poses to these endangered creatures, but also the aid that humans have given them. Highly recommended to young turtle lovers everywhere!

[Dolly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a dramatic story about the dangerous life-cycle of a loggerhead sea turtle, depicting the many threats she faces along her journey. The colorful and vivid illustrations by Lee Christiansen add a layer of intensity to the story and an almost anthropomorphic expressiveness to the animals. Overall, they really complement the tale nicely. The environmental message is clear and is expanded upon by the author's note at the end that offers a pitch for the Caribbean Conservation Corporation and their efforts to help protect this endangered species.

[Donalyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

All seven species of sea turtles are endangered. This short book follows the life cycle of one loggerhead turtle as she escapes dangerous situations with the help of humans. I liked that the book showed how people can protect the turtles. The last few pages include information about turtle rescue efforts around the world and background information on all seven species.

[Lauran Ferguson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Turtle, Turtle, Watch Out! is a fantastic book for young children. It gives then the opportunity to learn about a new animal that they may not have seen before. It also teaches them about things that they can do to protect wildlife animals as well as take care of their environment. I think the illustrations are also beautiful and very detailed.

[Pamela Powell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully illustrated look at the life of a sea turtle and all the steps people can take to help them along.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Turtle faces threats to her life even before she hatches on a Florida beach. The text and concepts are appropriate for students in grades 3 and 4, though the 'Turtle, turtle, watch out!' refrain makes the text seem a little young. I enjoyed Annie Patterson's illustrations, which complemented the text and clarified some of turtles adventures; the escape hatch on the fishing net is easier to understand with a good picture.

Recommended for elementary school collections. The illustrations are wonderful and the text is well-written. This book could easily be used for a lesson on problem and solution. Obviously, it also has an environmental theme and lessons and would be a great tie-in for Earth Day or a unit on oceans. The author also includes information about helping sea turtles and brief descriptions of sea turtle species.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've always been intrigued by sea turtles and how all those little vulnerable turtles manage to survive on their own from day one with no mother around. This book shows some of the dangers they face and how the cycle continues.

Version I bought recently at booksale at ImaginOn library for Children in Charlotte, is illustrated by Lee Christiansen. I'm going to check out the version illustrated by Annie Patterson as well.

2/21/17 update:

I did read the Patterson-illustrated book and found the lighter illustrations in her version more appealing. However, the darker Christiansen illustrations may be a little more realistic and attuned to the dangers at hand.

The Patterson-illustrated book also had more info on Helping Hands for Sea Turtles and a glossary on Sea Turtle species.

[Alyson Carroll · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story begins with baby turtles in their eggs on a beach. Sayre describes how they are being protected from prey by humans. Once the baby turtles hatch, they are in danger while they attempt to reach the ocean. If they make it to the ocean, they need to watch out for other large, hungry sea creatures. During a turtle’s life, they are constantly in danger from the world around them, including humans. The story describes how a turtle got caught in a net casted out by humans. It also tells how a jeep was driving on the beach and almost crushed the baby turtle eggs. This book is great for all children in the elementary age. It is a good reminder to look out for all animals around us by not littering and just simply being cautious of our surroundings. The more it is drilled into people's heads, the more likely they are to listen.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story of what might befall a turtle from egg to adulthood, and all the ways that humans can intervene to keep a turtle safe, this is a strong environmental advocacy book. Using the repeated phrase, "Turtle, turtle, watch out!" this book shows how at various moments in a turtle's life, humans can unintentionally endanger them and how little things people do eliminate those dangers. Good end notes filled with ways that people can get involved in turtle conservation. The illustrations remind me of the illustrations from any number of Nicola Davies books, which is strange because Nicola Davies books are illustrated by other people.

[Oana Cerchezan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book would be great to use in a third grade classroom. It talks about the life of sea turtles and what they go through and surroundings that might threaten them. Environmental hazards are something that is very important to emphasize in a classroom. Together as a class we can come up with certain things that we as humans can do to help out our environment inside and outside the classroom. Then maybe after doing this the classroom can brainstorm an idea about what we can do as a community to help our environment, such as recycling or planting. The reason why I think this would be better suited for a third grade science classroom is because we can talk about certain things like oil spills, or plastics that are thrown into the ocean and harm the animals.

[Abby Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book follows the story of a loggerhead sea turtle from egg to growing up in the ocean to returning to the beach to lay her own eggs. Along the way, the turtle meets predators, almost eats a plastic bag, and gets caught in a fishing net (escaping through a special escape hatch called a Turtle Excluder Device), demonstrating the various dangers (natural and man-made) that sea turtles face.

This is a nice, simple story and back matter including information about conservation efforts aimed to help sea turtles and information about the different species of sea turtles. This would make a great classroom readaloud to accompany a unit on conservation or oceans. Pair it with Tracking Trash by Loree Griffin Burns for a discussion about ocean pollution.

[Mariah Roze · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book to my students today and they were extremely interested in it! Also, they were very scared that the turtle would get hurt.

"When Turtle is just an egg buried in sand, hungry raccoons try to dig her up. Turtle, Turtle, Watch Out! But a child scares them away and puts wire mesh over the nest to protect the eggs. As Turtle hatches, scurries to sea, grows up, and becomes a mother turtle returning to the same beach to lay her own eggs, numerous dangers threaten her. Sometimes she escapes through her own efforts, and sometimes she needs the help of human hands. This exciting story vividly describes the life cycle of a sea turtle and the ways we can help these endangered animals survive."

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book explores the life of a sea turtle from the mother laying the eggs, to the hatching and climbing out of the sand, to swimming in the ocean and growing up where the cycle again repeats itself. Along the way, the turtle is helped many times by humans and it's interesting to see how they are helped. I learned a lot about turtles when reading this book and the illustrations are very well done. I read this to one of my second grade classes today and they were all interested in checking out turtle books after hearing this story.

[Madimeier]

This book describes the cycle of a turtle. The mom turtle lays her eggs on a beach and the turtles hatch. The story talks about how the turtles have to watch out for animals that want to eat them such as cats on land and sharks under water. The turtles have to avoid nets and other objects under water that could hurt them. One of the turtles meets a male turtle and they mate. The turtle goes to the same beach from the beginning and lays her eggs. At the end of the story, the book has some very beneficial information about sea turtle species and how they are extinct.

[Peacegal · Rating 4 out of 5]

The hazardous life of a sea turtle is presented to young readers. Dangers both natural and man-made face a young turtle at every turn, but she survives thanks to her own quick wits and the help of caring humans. For example, people erect signs on turtle nesting beaches that forbid the use of offroad vehicles, and people clean plastic bags out of the water, which are a particular hazard to sea turtles.

A section in the back explores more in-depth ways to help turtles.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I lived in Florida for twenty years and only once have I been lucky enough to see the hatchling sea turtles returning to the water. It is pretty amazing. And so is this book. There are real dangers for the sea turtles -- hatchlings and the grown up ones -- and the author mentions them without harping on them.

The illustrations are SO beautiful. There are several two-page spreads that I would love to have a prints.

[James Vickery · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book follows the life cycle of a turtle. This book also shows how human intervention can interupt the natural life cycle. This book shows that there are many factors that can go wrong with a sea turtle. This book urges its readers to take part in saving sea turtles by understanding the needs that the turtles must have to survive.

[Diz · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautifully illustrated book that shows all of the dangers that a sea turtle faces in it's survival from birth to adulthood. As the turtle lives its life, it is helped by numerous people, including a lot of kids, so kids get the message that they can become proactive in environmental issues. The illustrations are charming and are a pleasure to look at.

[Karissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really great book to use during a science lesson on habitats, the life cycle, or environmental awareness. There are even resources in the back about "helping hands for sea turtles" and two pages detailing different types of sea turtles.

[Karen Arendt · Rating 5 out of 5]

April Pulley Sayre does an excellent job of explaining the dangers a baby turtle faces from egg to maturity. The illustrations are soft and have lots of greens and blues. I would use this with a nonfiction unit on animals (event hough it is classified as fiction).

[Terry]

Read our review at the Reading Tub.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cute book that my cousin, Megan, would love! It's all about sea turtles and is pretty realistic. At the end of the book are ways that you can help save the sea turtles!

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

lovely nature title for the very young that will stand up to many readings.

[Melanie Hetrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

The beautifully illustrated story of a turtles life from egg to adult. Includes scientific and conservation information.

[Kathryn Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Story that explains the life cycles and process of a turtle being born. I would use this in a lesson on life cycles or teaching animals. Grades k-2

[Teri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good supplementary story

[Megan Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book and teaches children where turtles come from.