Turtle Island by Kevin Sherry (review)

A giant turtle is “as big as an island,” an apt comparison when a shipwreck leaves a cat, a frog, an owl, and a bear (all much smaller than the turtle) clinging to the turtle’s shell. Each of the four shipwrecked animals has a special skill (Frog cooks, Cat draws, Owl knits, and Bear builds), and they work together to build a cozy home atop the turtle’s shell. The critters miss their families, though, and one day they build a boat and sail away to their old homes. The turtle is heartbroken (“I didn’t understand. Wasn’t I their family? ‘We have to go home,’ Bear added. But wasn’t I their home?”), but then overjoyed as the animals return with their friends, families, and some additional “inhabited” giant turtles to create an entire floating community. Sherry’s simple but touching first-person narrative is well suited to its young audience, and the gentle, fantastical story coupled with the large, clear illustrations (created with pencil, then inked, then painted with watercolors that are occasionally speckled with salt) will make this particularly useful in story hours and classroom readalouds. The wide-eyed animals have friendly faces, and the snug details of the home (and eventual town) they create on the turtle’s back will pique the interest of youthful viewers. Plug this into a turtle- or house-themed storytime or just sit back and enjoy this whimsical, watery world.