Into the Sea
Grade 1-3?Experience the life of a female sea turtle as she breaks from her shell, splashes into the sea, and navigates for survival, eventually returning to the place of her birth to lay eggs. This tale of her life cycle is written in prose that gives immediacy to the events as the turtle encounters other sea animals during her long journey. Guiberson uses italicized sound words such as tap, tap, and scritch to draw readers into the story. Berenzy captures the essence of the text with her colored-pencil and gouache illustrations that alternate from dark to light, reflecting the various habitats. Both backgrounds and featured animals are realistic in appearance, but the overall effect lends a sense of drama to the text, especially the striking moonlit beach scenes. The author's concluding statements emphasize the diminishing number of sea turtles and the ways in which people are trying to protect them. For basic facts, turn also to Gail Gibbons's Sea Turtles (Holiday, 1995), but let Into the Sea touch young readers with a sense of place and sensitivity for this gentle creature of the sea.?Diane Nunn, Richard E. Byrd Elementary School, Glen Rock, NJCopyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.