ISLAND GIRLS

Two young girls help sea turtles by collecting plastic from the ocean in this debut picture book.

Sadie and Josie—two blond, blue-eyed White girls who appear to be preschoolers—live on a sailboat. After a windy night, their sea turtle friend, Fig, asks them for help: “Holy anchovies! There’s trouble in Jellyfish Alley!” After enlisting their parents, the girls dive down to discover the problem. The wind sent too many plastic grocery bags into the water, and the sea turtles are mistaking them for jellyfish. The girls and their mother help free the turtles and collect the garbage. Not stopping with solving the immediate problem, the family tackles the larger issue, making signs to get the community involved and writing letters to legislators. Based on the true story of Williamson’s trash-collecting efforts with her daughters (the real Sadie and Josie), the book includes a thank-you note from the girls to all the readers who help out. The author helpfully provides action items for readers unsure about how to start. But the simple text is at times a little too whimsical. The sea turtles all speak English, and the girls can talk underwater, both of which undermine the realistic message. But Holovchenko’s gorgeous paintings reaffirm the realism in her detailed turtles and wildlife. Newly independent readers will only find a few challenging words. In addition, there are plenty of clues in the pictures to help them figure out the story.

A solid, positive animal tale for budding environmentalists.