This review originally posted on Feathered Quill Book Reviews.
What child wouldn't be totally excited if they discovered little turtle eggs in their sandbox? That's exactly what happened to a young girl named Maggie one day. You see, a mother diamondback terrapin laid her eggs in Maggie's sandbox. With the assistance of her mother and local turtle experts, Maggie learns how to take extra special care of the young brood until they safely hatch, grow for about nine months, and become large enough to be set free into the bay where they belong.
Turtles In My Sandbox is not only a cute tale for readers between the ages of 4-8 years, but it's a story that is based on actual events that occur in schools from Florida to Massachusetts. While it is not too likely your child will end up with terrapin eggs in their sandbox, this story has an important lesson about conservation and care of wildlife that will delight children of all ages. Illustrator Emanuel Schongut expertly draws appealing watercolors that follow the story nicely and gives accurate details of the actual terrapins and their nesting areas.
Also included in this book is an educational section entitled 'For Creative Minds,' that includes further learning about the diamondback terrapins' life-cycle (they're only about the size of a quarter when hatched), fun facts (turtles have no teeth!), their usual habitat, and finally a terrapin fun craft that will educate and entice children to want to learn more about these turtles that are in danger of becoming extinct in some areas of the United States. Finally, online resources can be utilized by parents or teachers to support this book that includes teaching activities and quizzes that can be found on the Sylvan Dell Publishing website.
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