Turtles Heading Home!

About the Book

Kemp’s ridley sea turtles need help! Young readers will learn about the rescue efforts necessary to save these endangered animals largely due to climate change.

A riveting nonfiction read for 6-9-year-old animal-enthusiasts, future veterinarians, and conservationists that will motivate compassionate kids to start taking action now!

The waters around Cape Cod used to cool off gradually, signaling to sea turtles that it was time to swim south. But now, due to climate change, the water stays warm too long and cools off too quickly, making the turtles too cold to migrate.

Turtles Heading Home! follows the efforts of conservationists as they rescue the turtles, nurse them back to health, and release them into warmer waters. The operation involves hundreds of people, from the volunteers patrolling beaches, to the veterinarians in the hospital, to the pilots who fly the turtles south. All of them share the goal of helping save the Kemp’s ridley sea turtle — the most endangered sea turtle in the world.

Reviews

"A step-by-step account of concerted efforts being made to rescue the hundreds of rare sea turtles washed ashore around Cape Cod every winter.

"Successfully reviving plate-size 'Kemp’s ridley sea turtles' that have been stunned by unseasonably chill waters turns out to be a fussy, complicated process. The authors explain things in careful detail as they give readers a chance to meet many of the workers who search beaches, carefully transport stranded turtles to a wildlife rehabilitation lab for treatment, and then return the survivors to the shore. How rare is the Kemp’s ridley? Astonishingly, until recently there was but one nesting site in the world, and in 1985, less than 250 females laid eggs there. Thanks to efforts like the one documented here, that population has been steadily growing since then. The authors also include information on the animal’s life cycle; after finishing this work—and poring over the many bright color photos—concerned young eco-activists will come away agreeing with the wildlife biologist who dubs these turtles 'charismatic.' Those eager to help will appreciate the backmatter, which offers guidance on combating climate change and helping sea turtles.

"An inspiring success story for animal-rescue advocates." (Kirkus Reviews)

"Kemp's ridley sea turtles, a critically endangered species that makes annual migrations from the waters of the Gulf of Mexico to the beaches of Cape Cod, are increasingly being affected by cooler temperatures resulting from climate change. This offering follows volunteers finding cold-stunned, paralyzed turtles on New England beaches, packing them in seaweed, and transporting them to emergency rescue facilities. Present tense action verbs and close-up photos move each sea turtle along its perilous path, through a nighttime rescue, a hurried drive in a temperature-controlled car, a thorough rinsing and physical examination by an aquarium doctor, a gradual warming in increasingly higher temperature tanks, and careful monitoring of eating and pooping.

"Even after all of this tender loving care, the turtles still need help, so volunteer pilots use private planes to transport them to long-care recovery centers in the hopes of eventually releasing the turtles back into ocean waters. The book's nonstop action conveys immediacy and hope; rich back matter offers considerable support. An especially informative and positive resource about conservation, suitable for all STEM collections." (Kathleen McBroom, Booklist)