Turtle Bay

ANNOTATION

Taro is fascinated by the strange actions of old Jiro-San, who sweeps the sand on the beach while waiting for the arrival of Japanese sea turtles ready to lay their eggs.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

People think Jiro-San is strange, but young Taro is fascinated by the old man, whom he considers wise and full of wonderful secrets. And when Jiro-San reveals that some special friends--loggerhead turtles, ready to lay their eggs--are about to visit, Taro and his older sister join in to help with the preparations. Full color.

FROM THE CRITICS

Children's Literature - Carolyn Mott Ford

Jiro-San is an old man considered weird by many children, but young Taro is his friend. Taro listens to the old man's stories and helps him make the beach ready for visitors. Who are they? Jiro-San will not say. As they prepare the beach and wait, Taro and Jiro-San see many sea creatures, but the special friends do not arrive. Then one evening, Taro's sister Yuko accompanies him to the beach and that magical night, Jiro-San's friends arrive. They are sea turtles, come to lay their eggs in the sand. Eight weeks later the children meet Jiro-San at the beach once again and they watch as hundreds of baby turtles scuttle to the sea. Yuko agrees with her brother that Jiro-San is not crazy. He is old and wise.

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 3--The setting--a protected beach in Japan, washed by warm coastal waters--is the most important element of this book. In the bay, Taro dives and boats with his elderly friend, Jiro-San. Taro's sister thinks Jiro-San is eccentric because he sweeps the beach, but Taro comes to understand that the man is preparing for the arrival of mysterious friends. With Jiro-San as their guide, the children watch as the guests arrive at last. Sea turtles come from the ocean to lay their eggs on the beach, and eight weeks later the children return to see the baby turtles hatch. Realistic drawings suffused with gold, blue, or lavender depict the changing moods of the sea and its varied inhabitants, from starfish to whales. An endnote offers relevant facts about sea turtles. Endpapers showing shells scattered in the sand set the tone for this evocative, gentle book that celebrates life on the shore with events and language very young children can appreciate.--Margaret A. Chang, North Adams State College, MA

Kirkus Reviews

Outlined in the tranquil telling of a friendship between a young boy and a seemingly odd man who proves to be "old and wise, and full of wonderful secrets" is a beguiling look at the breeding process of Japanese sea turtles, who lay their eggs on land yet live in the ocean.

Jiro-San is often seen sweeping the glass and rubbish from the beach and listening to the wind, in preparation for the return of his "old friends." Taro and his reluctant sister join in and help, without knowing why. The secret is revealed in the form of a band of mother turtles, who lay their leathery eggs in holes in the sand; weeks later, Jiro-San and the two children witness the nocturnal emergence of hundreds of baby sea turtles scuttling seawarda mild lesson in the life cycle of the loggerhead, close cousin to the more familiar land turtles. Hushed, lavender-hued pictures befit the tone of the understated story; mottled backgrounds cast a quiet spell, as does the sagacious old man who appears to understand more than just turtles.