Turtles In My Sandbox (Jennifer Keats Curtis)

 

I discovered this one on Epic last year when we ended up doing school online after school got cancelled. Now that we're back in school and doing City Wildlife, I can't help but read and discuss this story again with my students. It teaches a lot but is still a story that captivates kids. I read that some schools on the east coast actually raise tarrapins in their classroom and then release them in the Spring. That would be SOOO cool!

Goodreads says:

Imagine finding turtle eggs in your sandbox! When a mother diamondback terrapin lays eggs in a young girl's sandbox, the girl becomes a -turtle-sitter- to help the babies safely hatch. She raises the teeny hatchlings until they become big enough to fend for themselves in the wild. Then, with the help of experts, she releases them. Along the way, she learns about these unique animals and that she has made an important contribution to their survival. The -For Creative Minds- educational section includes terrapin fun facts and a turtle habitat craft.