The Smallest Turtle (Gold Star First Readers)

A newly-hatched turtle makes the dangerous journey across a beach full of obstacles to the nearby sea.

PreSchool-Grade 3 Hairy Maclary, a perky Scottish terrier, goes for a walk one day and is joined by his canine companions along the way. On their stroll, they meet Scarface Claw, a fierce tomcat whose fearsome cry causes all to turn tail and run. The last page shows Hairy Maclary peering timidly out from under the blanket that covers his basket. In Hairy Maclary's Bone , Hairy finds himself doggedly pursued again after the butcher hands him a tasty bone. In order to elude his pursuers, Hairy leads them on an obstacle course through hedges, signs and a boat yard, and the competition is eliminated one by one. Simply told in cumulative verse opposite each colorful illustration, the stories provide a pleasantly amusing experience for young readers or listeners. The Smallest Turtle tells the tale of a sea turtle's instinctive trek to the sea after birth. The dangers of the journey, the hot sun and hungry gulls, are successfully avoided and left behind as the little turtle takes his first ocean swim. Save for the lack of rhyming text, the style and format are the same as in the Hairy Maclary titles. This one will serve as a natural science expedition for the curious young. Jody Risacher, Clermont County Public Library, Batavia, Ohio
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