"There’s a sense of wonder in the simple words and the huge, thrilling color pictures in this photo-essay about a vanishing species." — Booklist (starred review)Limp and frozen, a Kemp’s ridley turtle washes up on Cape Cod. When a boy named Max finds it, the turtle appears to be dead. But is it? Award-winning author Kathryn Lasky and photographer Christopher G. Knight take young readers on a riveting tour that begins on the icy shores of Cape Cod, where expert teams attempt to revive the Kemp’s ridley, and ends on the warm beaches of the Gulf of Mexico, where turtles of this rare breed are born and may return to lay eggs of their own. All sea turtles are threatened or endangered, but the Kemp’s ridley is the most endangered of all — and this awe-inspiring story makes it clear why we should want to protect them.
On sale: May 9, 2006
Age: 6-9 years
Grade: Grades 1-4
Page count: 48 Pages
ISBN: 9780763628833
Reading level: Lexile: 1020L | Fountas/Pinnell: U
Kathryn Lasky and Christopher G. Knight have created many books for children, including THE MOST BEAUTIFUL ROOF IN THE WORLD, MONARCHS, and SUGARING TIME, a Newbery Honor Book. About working on INTERRUPTED JOURNEY, they say, "It was a real eye opener for us to see how many people care about sea turtles and how an international rescue effort has evolved. It is so heartening to see people of all ages come together in this way."
Outstanding color photographs and compelling text document the rescue of a single sea turtle as it is handed off from volunteer beach patrollers to the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary...
—The Horn Book
Knight's impressive photography captures the gritty details of turtle rescue as well as the nobility of the species. Lasky's respect and enthusiasm for her subject is clear, and the text will leave readers more aware of human roles in species' extinction and preservation.
—Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
