Turtle Tug to the Rescue

PreS-Gr 2—Next in Slack's hybrid animal/vehicle series is a book about a sea turtle who doubles as an ocean rescue tugboat. As in Monkey Truck and Elecopter, the adventure of this new animal/machine crossbreed provides just the right combination of fun and sincerity. After all, Turtle Tug isn't just out for a joy ride; he's busy rescuing a seal pup stuck in a treacherous surf, a whale tangled in fishing netting, and a squid entrapped in human plastic pollution. The nail-biting narrative chugs effortlessly alongside Slack's bright and bold digital artwork, which helps drive the action. The eye-catching illustrations matched with the clever rhyming verse amplify the tale's read-aloud appeal, and the happy ending ("From stem to stern,/he's loyal as can be./A special sea vessel,/steward of the sea") will have toddlers cheering for this turtle tug.