Cox, Lynne. Yoshi, Sea Turtle Genius: A True Story About an Amazing Swimmer. Richard Jones, Illus. Random House / Schwartz & Wade, 01/2023. [40]pp. Non-Fiction. Trade $18.99. 978-0-59-342568-8. GRADES Kindergarten – 3. HIGH ADDITIONAL.
After an injured loggerhead sea turtle hatchling spends two decades within a South African aquarium, her release results in a surprising 22,998 mile swim to the Australian beach where she once hatched, the longest recorded distance traveled by any animal. Full-bleed, double-spreads of captivating oceanic watercolor scenes are paired with engaging language, both lyrical and accessible for young readers. We follow the hatchling “just the size of a smile” through her injury, rescue, rehabilitation, and determined journey to lay her own eggs. The back matter shares that the author was the first person to swim a challenging part of Yoshi’s journey around the Cape of Good Hope; yet the additional material also cites an inactive link and incorrectly states that Yoshi, whose transmitter ceased working in 2020, is still being tracked. The story, masterfully woven with engrossing illustrations, provides a fully immersive experience of the wonders of our natural world and the power of kindness, patience, and perseverance when finding your way home.
Alexandre Petrakis—San Francisco Public Library