Turtle

While some young readers may be familiar with the life cycle of sea turtles, this volume in the See Them Grow series focuses instead on the birth and growth of pond-dwelling painted turtles. They may not make the same treacherous journey to the ocean as their sea-dwelling cousins, but growing up is a plenty complicated process for painted turtles, too. In concise language, this book explains the pregnancy and egg-laying process of a female turtle, the development of turtle embryos, and the challenges that face the baby turtles once they hatch. Sidebars list additional interesting facts, and detailed photos of a growing embryo are especially fascinating. For readers hooked by the glossy photos of these reptiles, a short list of additional reading sources is provided in the back matter.

Well-designed introductions to animal development that pair simple text with clear photographs. The sequences showing embryo development in Chicken and Turtle are particularly effective. Close-up photos sometimes span an entire spread and will hold the attention of listeners, who can view and discuss the information in small read-aloud groups. . . . A picture glossary also includes pronunciation.