Turtle Island

PreS-K—Sherry, no stranger to picture books featuring assertive and extra-large sea creatures (I'm the Biggest Thing in the Ocean, Penguin, 2007), introduces a giant turtle who is as big as an island. But even giant turtles get lonely in the vastness of the sea. Turtle is surprised and excited when a storm shipwrecks an odd assortment of animals (an owl, a bear, a frog, and a cat) on his back. Each animal has a special skill, and they work together to create a makeshift community atop his shell. Things take a poignant turn when the wee animals confess that they miss their families. Turtle wonders, "Wasn't I their family?" and is visibly distraught when his new friends set sail to return home. Sherry's bright colors and simple shapes fill the pages, emphasizing Turtle's massive dimensions in comic juxtaposition to his tiny friends. Preschoolers will be soothed to find that all ends well in a joyful reunion; Turtle's friends and their families return to build a permanent community on his shell. A fun addition for larger picture-book collections.—Kiera Parrott, School Library Journal