TURTLE TIDE

An Atlantic sea turtle struggles ashore to lay her eggs in the sand in this handsomely illustrated picture-book treatment. The tiny turtles, on hatching, struggle to avoid predators; raccoons, ghost grabs, blue herons, sand sharks and laughing gulls diminish the 100 eggs to a single surviving hatchling swimming off into the red gold sea. Hiscock’s watercolors illuminate each step along the way in fascinating detail, providing the hook that will lure readers into wanting more. And the backmatter provides information about ocean turtle species and suggested reading. A satisfying introduction to endangered animals, the food chain and the intrepid Atlantic sea turtle by a National Park Service Ranger and author of many other nature titles. (Nonfiction. 7-10)