Interrupted Journey by Kathryn Lasky, photographs by Christopher Knight,
Walker Books, 拢9.99, ISBN 0763606359
IT鈥橲 cold, snow is falling, but 10-year-old Max Nolan knows exactly what to
do when he finds a turtle close to death on a wintry Cape Cod beach. He moves it
above the high water mark, covers it with seaweed, marks the spot and phones for
help. Within an hour, it comes.
So begins Interrupted Journey, the dramatic rescue of a Kemp鈥檚
Ridley turtle, named Yellow-Blue. The turtle鈥檚 life is a solitary one, driven by
instinct from its hatching on a beach in the Gulf of Mexico.
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Kathryn Lasky鈥檚 descriptions are pure Hollywood, and Christopher Knight鈥檚
photographs are like stills from ER. 鈥淏etween the nest and the tideline
ghost crabs wait to snatch the baby turtles with their claws,鈥� Lasky tells us.
And sharks lurk beyond the surf.
Turtle lover Richie Moretti is perfectly cast as Yellow-Blue鈥檚 protector,
funding a turtle hospital in the Florida Keys from the proceeds of his motel. In
a lovely touch, guests can鈥檛 take a dip because the pool is full of injured
turtles.
It鈥檚 a true story, but reads like perfectly paced fiction, skilfully milking
your emotions in the best tear-jerker style. This is a great book to read aloud
to a circle of rapt little faces, Gameboys and Buffy videos cast aside. It鈥檚 a
deliciously glossy book, sparkling and sophisticated. A really grown-up kids鈥�
read. Buy it now.
