amazing illustrations. Marie’s merciful heart shines through each page.
29 Oct 2010
by melangeofcultures in REVIEWS [Edit]
In this unique and colorful picture book the story of a young girl who finds a sea turtle is told in 3 languages: English, Spanish, and French. Living next to the ocean, Marie walks along the seashore to collect shells. Thinking she found a giant shell she is surprised to discover it is actually a sea turtle. The gentle creature needs her help to get back to the ocean, but he is too big for her to move. What is she to do? Her parents eye the turtle imagining he would make a good stew. Can she convince them to forget about stew and help her help the turtle instead?
This book has a cute story, with bright and cheery illustrations. I could almost smell the salty ocean and feel the sun on my face as I read it. And I found the tri-lingual ingredient fascinating – it is not often I stumble upon a children’s book written in three languages.
Thanks to the author for providing me with a copy of the book for this review
29 Oct 2010
by melangeofcultures in REVIEWS [Edit]
Discover a wonderful story of friendship and compassion in “Marie and Her Friend the Sea Turtle” by Nicole Weaver.
One day Marie is walking along the shore collecting seashells, when she spies what she thinks is the largest seashell she has ever seen. Rushing over, she discovers that it is not a seashell at all, but a sea turtle.
The turtle explains that she came ashore to lay her eggs, but her sore flippers prevented her from making it back into the ocean. She asks for Marie’s help. Marie soon finds out that she can’t lift or push the heavy sea turtle back into the water. And that’s when the trouble really begins.
This is a delightful book about the friendship that develops between a young girl and a sea turtle. One of the many great aspects of the book is that the sea turtle can talk and Marie can understand her. The quick friendship that develops and Marie’s desire to help her new friend is something that everyone will enjoy.
Marie is a little girl whose house is built near the bluest of oceans. Every morning, Marie likes to visit the shore to collect seashells. When she sees a large shiny object in the distance, she thinks she’s found the biggest seashell she’s ever seen. But it’s not a seashell, it’s a sea turtle. When she learns the turtle is stuck and cannot make its way back to sea, Marie must find a way to help her new friend get back to its home.
The book takes an unexpected twist as Marie realizes if her parents find the turtle, they’ll cut it up in pieces and make stew. When Marie’s parents arrive on the beach, how will she convince them to carry the sea turtle back to the ocean instead of enjoying a fine stew? I found this part of the story shocking, since I don’t consider turtle standard fare, but it’s also what stands out to me most about this book–Perhaps a different take than others you might read. To me, the story is not only an introduction to caring for nature, but also an introduction to different cultures.
Written in English, Spanish and French, the book can be used to create discussions about what different cultures eat, and all the unusual delicacies available around the world. It shows that food is a big part of our culture and our world. So remember the next time you throw your nose up at the thought of turtle stew, others might be saying, “Scrumptious!”
