A new children’s book where a 11-year-old protagonist takes readers on a journey into the rainforests of Costa Rica, promises to be a hit with middle-schoolers who want a greener tomorrow
An illustrated panel from the book. Pic Courtesy/HarperCollins
In Hannah Gold’s latest children’s novel, Turtle Moon (HarperCollins), 11-year-old Silver Trevelon’s artist father has been invited to the Turtle Beach Rescue Centre in Costa Rica for a painting project, which could contribute towards protecting turtles. Silver and her veterinarian mother travel with him. Living in the rainforest, Silver learns about the different species of turtles.
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She also encounters other creatures like jaguars, giant spiders, a monkey named Tickle, a sloth named Speedy, and bilingual parrots. Silver’s adventures truly begin when she meets a boy named Rafi, and becomes a member of a secret patrol club. She witnesses the miracle of a rare species of a turtle laying its eggs one night. However, something mysterious follows, leading Silver and Rafi on a perilous adventure.
Hannah Gold
Gold, alongside introducing young readers to turtles and their world, deals with emotions associated with the start and end of life with poignancy and sensitivity. Ana, the founder of the centre, and Gerrie, Silver’s mom, become crucial characters in this regard. Gold also paints smaller moments to portray this, like having Silver nurse a turtle named Luna and watch a sloth lose its young one. The dedication page at the beginning of the book hints at this.
The most memorable moments include Silver’s conversations with Rafi, her mother, and Ana. They open a window into the way children deal with inner conflicts, some of which include understanding their relationship with their parents. Through such episodes, Gold creates intimate and soft spaces in a book filled with adventure. She also refrains from making it read like a mere educational tome on turtles. The photograph-like, black and white illustrations by Levi Pinfold punctuate the book and amplify Gold’s masterful atmospheric writing.
Reccos by Mumbai’s young readers
The Wild Robot: I loved reading this book by Peter Brown because it’s so exciting to see an alien robot like Roz learning to live on an island with animals. It felt like I was on an adventure with her. The story is fun, and I liked how everyone became friends, even though they were so different from each other.
Krshna Lodha
The Magic of the Lost Temple, and Malory Towers: Sudha Murty’s book gives me the perspective of village life. It also takes me to a magical place in Somanahalli. I love reading Malory Towers by Enid Blyton too. It shows me the other side of life, which is in a boarding school, and allows me to live in the world of Darrell Rivers for a while.
Arianna Rawal
Harry Potter series: I enjoy reading the Harry Potter series by JK Rowling. It transports me to a magical world of creatures, wizards, and spells. It shows how an ordinary boy turns into an extraordinary wizard with the help of his friends and of course, some magic.
Hrivaan Doshi
The Land of Stories series: I like these books by Chris Colfer because they contain everything: fantasy, drama, betrayal, and my favourite part, comedy. The first book is the Wishing Spell. It gives the readers an introduction to the Bailey twins and tells them about the Fairy Godmother. The next books involve their adventures in the fairy tale world. The last book tells the last tale of the twins.
Veda Mehta
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