Chase the Moon, tiny turtle A hatchling's daring race to the sea

PreS-K--This picture book uses rhyming verse to follow a hatched loggerhead turtle's journey to the sea. The opening pages depict a large number of turtle eggs buried in a mound of sand. Walker's illustrations use a combination of styles and moods, including romantic swirls of the dark blue night and smiling turtles lit by a bright full moon. Jordan employs short, brisk sentences to describe the challenges and dangers in the turtle's path. Predators wait for the turtles across the sandy beach, including an owl and a crab. The text encourages the hatchling to follow the moonlight. The light is an important guide. In the afterword, Jordan advises readers to turn off any lights near nesting sites because the lights could confuse the turtles and take them off course. For the sake of preschooler and kindergartner sensibilities, no turtles are captured in this narrative. The afterword also includes additional information and several suggestions to boost turtle survival rates. VERDICT A pleasant, light offering that will fit nicely into a juvenile nonfiction picture book section.--Nancy Call, formerly at Santa Cruz P.L., Aptos, CA

Rhyming couplets describe a sea turtle's suspenseful journey from egg to ocean. This tale from the natural world opens with a full moon shining on a sandy beach. The dune is shown in cutaway view to reveal a nest of turtle eggs. Turn the page: The eggs crack, and a hatchling peeks out. Soon it's digging its way out and crawling down toward the ocean. Danger lurks along the way--an owl, a dog, and crabs--but the turtle perseveres, finally swimming away through a coral reef and on to a seaweedy area of open ocean. Jordan directly addresses the turtle, urging it onward while describing, for readers, the sights and sounds of its journey. The rhyme and rhythm usually land. An author's note identifies the turtle as a loggerhead, and the account is true to nature though somewhat anthropomorphized. The most jarring note occurs toward the end as the hatchling takes off into the water. "Catch the wave. Use your shell. / Surf, turtle. Ride the swell!" A turtle's first swimming efforts are not at all like a surfer's joyful glide. The illustrator echoes the anthropomorphic tone, endowing the tiny turtle with a most expressive face. Walker backs up, then closes in, using spreads and frames to indicate the passage of time. The owl's threatening claws are particularly effective. This will show well to a small group and reads aloud smoothly. An appealing addition to a nature collection. (advocacy tips) (Informational picture book. 3-7) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.