The True and Lucky Life of a Turtle

K-Gr 4–In this true story from the creators of The Book of Turtles, a snapping turtle named Fire Chief was both lucky and unlucky. When he was born, he was lucky to avoid hungry foxes and coyotes and find a pool where he could live and thrive. But later he was unlucky when he was injured while crossing a highway to his winter pool location. Finally, his luck returned when two workers from the Turtle Rescue League, Natasha and Alexxia, brought him to their turtle hospital, cleaned his wounds, and provided him with care. Other people helped, too. Fire Chief’s friends dug new ponds for him—one with a shallow end and one with a deep end—so that he can change locations for the summer when he needs a deep pool and for the winter when he needs a shallow, muddy one. The writing in the book is engaging and clear, with many accessible comparisons for young readers to understand. The illustrations support and extend the text, while also helping readers respond emotionally to what they are reading. A scene of the rainy spring morning when Fire Chief’s mother dug a hole and laid her eggs is dark and foreboding with future danger. Other pictures are joyous and caring, as people first discover that there is a turtle in the pond that supplies water to the local firehouse.