I’LL FOLLOW THE MOON

Gorgeous watercolors chronicle the journey of a baby sea turtle from its hatching to its first swim in the sea. Unfortunately, the text is not as stellar, as it tries to be too many things. First, there’s the sweet, but incorrect, idea of a baby turtle seeking a reunion with its mother, reiterated on every page. Next is the actual journey of the baby sea turtle. While scientific facts are included, they are difficult to glean from the spare text, which follows a pattern of three large-font words followed by three lines of rhyming verse that follow a 4-5-4 syllable pattern. “Fine / Blue / Glow / Spill over me, / Oh moon, high above, / Eternity.” Trying to wedge the text into these strict rules means that young listeners will have several “huh?” moments. Luckily, the meticulously detailed illustrations provide excellent context clues. Regrettably, it’s just not enough to save this one—the relationship between mother and offspring is never detailed enough for readers to celebrate their reunion, and the scientific facts are poorly worded and missing important details. (Picture book. 4-8)