Jennie Poh Books

It’s time for Little Turtle to leave the nest and venture out into the big, wide world or, more specifically, the vast, beautiful ocean. As she grows, so does her love of her new surroundings as she swims further and further through the dazzling water, meeting new friends along the way. Her journey complete, Little Turtle makes a home on the other side of the world, living happily until it is time for her to return from whence she came.

It is on her return journey that Little Turtle realises that she does not recognise the ocean she loves. Something has changed and not for the better. Where are the other creatures? Why are they silent? Danger is now never far from Little Turtle. Will she make it back?

This is a wonderful book to introduce the theme of the danger of plastic pollution to young children while providing them with a story that is full of heart. The story is perfect for reading aloud as children hear the rhythm and sounds of the ocean as the reader travels with Little Turtle. Becky Davies’s writing has a beautiful, lyrical quality to it and Jennie Poh’s engaging mixed-media illustrations help to show, in turn, the beauty and then the dramatic and unwelcome changes to Little Turtle’s beloved ocean.

For parents and teachers looking for books about the importance of looking after our oceans and the dangers of plastic pollution, this would be a great choice as it gets its point across in an age-appropriate way, giving younger readers a happy ending for Little Turtle while putting across a key environmental message. At the end of the book there are two double pages with links to further reading for children and explanations which could form the basis of related cross-curricular learning.