Montgomery, Sy. Book of Turtles, The. Matt Patterson, Illus. Clarion, 05/2023. [40]pp. Non-Fiction. Trade $19.99. 978-0-35-845807-4. GRADES 2 – 6. OUTSTANDING.
The remarkable turtle (which includes tortoises and terrapins) is the focus of this engaging book for a wide age range. One of the oldest animal classifications still living on earth, with lifespans exceeding two centuries, turtles are fascinating to children and a great way to begin learning about animals, since they exist all around the world. Sibert Award-winning author Montgomery (Kakapo Rescue, 2010), uses a conversational style for the brief text, often one to three paragraphs per spread. Acrylic illustrations depict turtles quite realistically, using white backgrounds, captions, and showing the animals in close-up. Both casual readers and researchers will find this book engaging and useful. The book ends with a list of things people can do to help turtles, a glossary, and lists of recommended books and websites.
Penny Peck—San Jose State University iSchool