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31st out of 93 books
—
208 voters
Mossy
by
Jan Brett
Who will help Mossy return home to Lilypad Pond?
Mossy, an amazing turtle with a gorgeous garden growing on her shell, loses her freedom when Dr. Carolina, a biologist, takes her to live in her Edwardian museum. Visitors flock to see Mossy, but it is Dr. Carolina's niece, Tory, who notices how sad Mossy is living in a viewing pavilion. She misses the outdoors and her frien...more
Mossy, an amazing turtle with a gorgeous garden growing on her shell, loses her freedom when Dr. Carolina, a biologist, takes her to live in her Edwardian museum. Visitors flock to see Mossy, but it is Dr. Carolina's niece, Tory, who notices how sad Mossy is living in a viewing pavilion. She misses the outdoors and her frien...more
Hardcover, 32 pages
Published
September 18th 2012
by G.P. Putnam's Sons
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I thought this book showed a great deal of social emotional and the illustrations were amazing. THis is a very good book to read to young children. The turtle goes through so many emotions and has to learn to deal with them and make the most of them. Even when she is removed from her normal environment she adapted and adjusted to it. This is key in helping children. Each teacher and child has to adjust and find out what works and work through the difficult times.
Actitviy:
I would read the story a...more
Actitviy:
I would read the story a...more
Jan Brett centers this picture book around an eastern box turtle names Mossy, who lives in a pond and has a beautiful garden growing on her moss-covered shell. The story starts out with Mossy becoming charmed by a friend in the pong named Scoot. Just as this is happening, Mossy is picked up and taken away by Dr. Carolina, a biologist. Dr. Carolina brings Mossy to a museum to live inside a man-made glass habitat that contains plants and a pool that reflects the habitat where Mossy was taken from....more
First, with the name Jan Brett you know that you will not be disappointed with the illustrations. What she is able to put on the page is just phenomenal.
Second, the storyline is always tender with a lovely moral to be shared. One cannot go wrong with any of her books.
Mossy, a young Eastern Box turtle loves the damp coolness of Lilypad pond and spends so much time there that little pieces of moss begin to grow on her back. As the season changes, the moss and other seeds begin to grow and Mossy i...more
Second, the storyline is always tender with a lovely moral to be shared. One cannot go wrong with any of her books.
Mossy, a young Eastern Box turtle loves the damp coolness of Lilypad pond and spends so much time there that little pieces of moss begin to grow on her back. As the season changes, the moss and other seeds begin to grow and Mossy i...more
"Mossy" by Jan Brett is a phenomenal book introducing the topics of nature, as well as humanity to animals in a gorgeous storybook format. Jan Brett's illustrations are simply breathtaking. "Mossy" tells the story about a beautiful female turtle, who lives in such a moist environment that rich moss and colorful flowers begin to grow on her shell. Mossy, the beautiful turtle, catches the eye of another turtle named Scoot. A romance begins to bud between Mossy and Scoot, until one day, Mossy is ta...more
I always enjoy Jan Brett's illustrations, but often her stories are a bit lackluster for me. Not so with "Mossy", which I found both visually stunning and emotionally engaging. It is the story of a turtle named Mossy who spends so much time by the mossy pond that moss begins to grow on her shell and soon she has a miniature garden blooming there. Just when she meets a new boy turtle and is eager to be his friend, the curator from the local natural history museum and her niece find Mossy and thin...more
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Mossy by Jan Brett tells the story of an eastern box turtle with a garden growing on her back. Plucked from her pond home, Mossy is displayed inside a museum until a niece of the botanist recognizes that the turtle longs for her outside home.
Brett's lavish, beautiful illustrations were done in watercolors and gouache. Joseph Herane did the airbrush backgrounds. Brett's trademark borders include a variety of plants and animals, including frogs, salamanders, mushrooms, flowers, butterflies, insect...more
Brett's lavish, beautiful illustrations were done in watercolors and gouache. Joseph Herane did the airbrush backgrounds. Brett's trademark borders include a variety of plants and animals, including frogs, salamanders, mushrooms, flowers, butterflies, insect...more
We love turtles and love to find books about turtles, so we were very excited to read this story. And we were also excited to see that the book is written and illustrated by Jan Brett. We have read many of her books and were thrilled to see a new one. It's a departure from her typical Scandinavian-themed stories and illustrations, and we loved it.
This is a lovely tale about an interesting turtle who ends up growing a garden on her back. A biologist brings her to a museum to live, but Mossy misse...more
This is a lovely tale about an interesting turtle who ends up growing a garden on her back. A biologist brings her to a museum to live, but Mossy misse...more
3 likes · like · see review
I didn't know where to look first? There was so much going on in each picture it was almost like a " where's Waldo " book. But wow! This is BEAUTIOUS! These illustrations are amazing!
Mossy is a turtle that has luscious greenery growing on her shell and because of this she is scooped up and taken away from her freedom outside to an inside terrarium where people can come an look at her every day and admire her.
But what about Mossy, how does she feels about all this " exposure" ?
She just met her...more
Mossy is a turtle that has luscious greenery growing on her shell and because of this she is scooped up and taken away from her freedom outside to an inside terrarium where people can come an look at her every day and admire her.
But what about Mossy, how does she feels about all this " exposure" ?
She just met her...more
I started falling asleep when I began this book and had to start it again. I am now going to say something that will offend a good number of people. I do not care for Jan Brett's artwork. I know there must be something wrong with me because people LOVE her work. It is fine, but I don't love them. Also her stories tend to be long and a little boring. Maybe someone could explain to me the magic and wonder of Jan Brett Because I am not getting it. This story is nice, long though and the pictures ar...more
Mossy the turtle is an unusal specimen. The back of her shell is home to a fertile garden of moss, ferns, and wildflowers. She's even able to feed herself strawberries when they drop from her carapace before her. When Dr. Carolina and Tory discover her on Lilypad Pond, they are instantly mesmerized and decide to scoop her up for their Museum. Little did they know that Mossy had just spotted Scoot the turtle and it was turtle love at first sight. Though her new surroundings mimics her old habitat...more
Mossy is a turtle with a garden growing on her shell. When Dr. Carolina finds her on a nature walk one day she brings her back to her museum to showcase the rare beauty. Mossy is homesick, but luckily a little girl named Tory recognizes this and comes up with a solution. A pair of artists paint Mossy's portrait (which will be kept in the museum) and Mossy is returned to her habitat.
The solution was a little cheesy for me, but the story is pretty beautiful at its heart. The artwork is composed o...more
The solution was a little cheesy for me, but the story is pretty beautiful at its heart. The artwork is composed o...more
Jan Brett's illustrations are beautiful. I've been a fan of hers for a long time. I started a collection of Jan Brett's books for my oldest daughter 19 years ago! This newest one does not disappoint. It's a story of an eastern box turtle who grows a gorgeous garden on her back. Much admired by a naturalist, Dr. Carolina, she is plucked out of her natural habitat and put in a glass-enclused case in her museum (much to the dismay of a male suitor turtle, Scoot). Dr. Carolina's niece, Tory, realize...more
I had been wanting to read this book for a few months, so when I saw it on the library shelf, I snatched it up quickly! I read this to my 5-year-old, and he enjoyed it as well as I did. The pictures are gorgeous, as are all of Jan Brett's illustrations. She is such a fantastic children's artist and writer! The story was very cute, about a little girl and her scientist aunt who rescue a very unique eastern box turtle and bring it to live in their museum. The little girl comes to realize that the...more
Mossy by Jan Brett is a story about a beautiful box turtle named Mossy who is taken from her home to be on display in a museum. Mossy is no ordinary box turtle, she has a garden growing on the back of her shell. In the end, Mossy is returned to her pond in order to be happy with her friend Scoot. The illustrations in this book are amazing, but I feel the plot is a little slow and flat. The relationship that blossoms between Scoot and Mossy isn't written in-depth enough to show the loss that Moss...more
Mossy loved to spend time next to Lilypad Pond. She spent so much time there that moss soon started to cover her shell. Then other plants started to grow as wellwild. Mossy was an amazing site to see. So beautiful that she is taken to live in a museum. Mossy did not like her new surroundings and miss Lilypad Pond and her friend that live there as well. This is a lovely story of Mossy and her return to her favorite place. This is yet another beautiful book written by Brett. The illustrations add...more
Just a few tiny quibbles: one of the box turtles in the book is shown submerged in water and that's not really normal box turtle behavior: they are terrestrial tortoises, not aquatic turtles. And they don't really frolic with their hatchlings in family groups. But the book is a thing of beauty, and it was VERY kind of our children's librarian to let me sit down and read her copy before it was even processed, wrapped, and on the shelf. Brett's illustrations of the natural world in all its exquisi...more
Brett always creates an experience and this newest picture book is no different. Mossy the eastern box turtle loves her pond environment, and spends so much time there that moss and other plants begin to grow on her shell. (Remind anyone of Miss Jaster and Hedgie?) Mossy's beauty attracts the attention of a male turtle called Scoot, but before they can begin a friendship, Mossy is scooped up by Dr. Carolina and made the centerpiece of the nearby natural history museum. Her popularity is great, b...more
Mossy loves Lilypad Pond amd stays in the "misty moisty" evironment so much she begins to grow a garden on her back. Just as she makes a new friend, Dr. Carolina finds Mossy and takes her back to her museum to put on display. Hundreds of people marvel at this turtle, but is Mossy really happy? Tory, Dr. Carolina's neice, doesn't think so and worries about what they should do. Such beautiful, lush illustrations and some great vocabulary. It would make for a good discussion: should unusual animals...more
Apr 08, 2013
Chandra
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommended to Chandra by:
Kathryn
Shelves:
picture-books
I'm kind of on the fence when it comes to Jan Brett. I'll admit she has huge talent and several of her books have really captivated me. But, then again, several of her books have fallen rather flat for me and I find her drawings of humans to be particularly lacking. So, I wasn't rushing out to read her newest offering. But, that cover really is darling....Long story short, this is a really delightful book. I think Brett is at the very tip top of her game here. These illustrations are marvelous!...more
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This is absolutely stunning visually and it's also different for me to see Jan Brett's illustrations with anything but a winter theme. Mossy the turtle carries a beautiful garden on her back. It's so special she attracts attention from her friend, Scoot the turtle. The attraction from a young girl and her aunt ends up with Mossy living in a tank in a museum.
And here our story takes a turn requiring courage and cleverness to get to the happy ending.
The detail on the illustrations will probably be...more
And here our story takes a turn requiring courage and cleverness to get to the happy ending.
The detail on the illustrations will probably be...more
I have always loved Jan Brett. My children were fed Jan Brett books about as often as mashed carrots in their early years. Always her illustrations are exquisite. Most of the time her stories are good. Sometimes just okay. Sometimes great. This book falls into the great category. It examines a beautifully unique little creature and the human tendency to want to "have" that beauty at the expense of the happiness of the creature. In this case, Mossy is captured and placed in a museum until a young...more
I may be biased because I adore turtles and I love the story behind the story so much. Jan Brett and her talented husband created their own turtle habitat and then waited a year and a half for one to move in. How remarkable. I also heard Ms. Brett talk about her research for the book and I learned so much about turtles in 20 minutes.
Mossy is beautiful illustrated in the unique style of Jan Brett. The story is simple and sweet and has a happy resolution. Just what kids like in a story. I am glad...more
Mossy is beautiful illustrated in the unique style of Jan Brett. The story is simple and sweet and has a happy resolution. Just what kids like in a story. I am glad...more
This was a cute story about a turtle who lives in such a damp environment that she grows a garden on her back. She meets another turtle and they like each other, but a scientist finds her and takes her away to a museum. A little girl decides she isn't happy there and the scientist has her portrait painted and takes her home.
This reminded me a lot of Miss Jaster's Garden with a hedgehog who grows a garden on her back.
This reminded me a lot of Miss Jaster's Garden with a hedgehog who grows a garden on her back.
Mossy loved living at Lilypad Pond. She spent so much time along the banks that moss and then small plants started to grow on her shell. She became a walking garden and liked to look at her reflection in the water to see how her garden was growing. On day, she met a male turtle named Scoot at the pond. The two were smitten immediately. But just as they were about to meet, Dr. Carolina, who owned a museum, picked up Mossy and took her away to be the center of a new display. Mossy spent several se...more
Mossy is a turtle with her very own garden on her back! What excellent camouflage! But a living garden is not camouflage for a turtle. A living garden is extraordinary! Dr. Caroline knew Mossy should be seen by everyone at her museum. Mossy went, but she missed her home next to the pond and her friend Scoot.
Such a fun book! It's an excellent book to jump start discussions and spring the imagination to new heights about animals, museums, and the world around us.
Reviewed from a library copy.
Such a fun book! It's an excellent book to jump start discussions and spring the imagination to new heights about animals, museums, and the world around us.
Reviewed from a library copy.
This Brett title for me was amazing, her illustrations in each of the borders, a stylistic element she is know for, are superior. The reason being if Brett is illustrating butterflies or moths, or shells the entire border is filled with that particular creature. Also she does not mix various species of butterflies and moths together as some illustrators do. On the jacket blurb it is stated that Brett and her husband have seen a snapping turtle with growth on its shell/carapace--a new term for me...more
Beautiful artwork tells the story of a very unusual box turtle who has a garden of flowers growing on her shell. A museum collector finds her and builds the most spectacular terrarium to house her, but "Mossy" is miserable. The museum director decides to commission a painting of Mossy and set her free instead.
Humane themes: the proper place for wild animals, doing the right thing even when it's difficult, the wonder and beauty of nature, the uniqueness of all life forms.
Humane themes: the proper place for wild animals, doing the right thing even when it's difficult, the wonder and beauty of nature, the uniqueness of all life forms.
Summary: A turtle named Mossy with a garden growing on her shell is taken to a museum to be put on display. She is so sad there that she is returned to the wild after the document her for the museum.
Audience: PreSchool and Kindergarten.
Appeal: Beautiful artwork and a cute story.
Implementation: This would be a good book for young children interested in nature and would also be a lovely choice for story time, as all Jan Brett books are.
Audience: PreSchool and Kindergarten.
Appeal: Beautiful artwork and a cute story.
Implementation: This would be a good book for young children interested in nature and would also be a lovely choice for story time, as all Jan Brett books are.
Dec 02, 2012
Lisa Vegan
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
for humane education; for kids who like nature, turtles, beautiful pictures
Recommended to Lisa by:
Kathryn
illustrations = 5 stars + story = 3 ½ stars so the total = 4 or 4 ½ stars but + ½ to 1 star for the message of leaving wildlife in the wild and for showing a child able to empathize with a turtle’s feelings, so a full 5 stars
I loved Mossy the turtle with the garden growing on her back. I enjoyed every bit of every gorgeous, lush illustration; they’re splendid. I didn’t need the (verging on) anthropomorphism in order to be emotionally engaged with Mossy; it wasn’t necessary, I don’t think. Most o...more
I loved Mossy the turtle with the garden growing on her back. I enjoyed every bit of every gorgeous, lush illustration; they’re splendid. I didn’t need the (verging on) anthropomorphism in order to be emotionally engaged with Mossy; it wasn’t necessary, I don’t think. Most o...more
3 likes · like · see review
3.5 stars
Mossy, an Eastern box turtle, starts sprouting a garden from the carapace of her shell and becomes an exhibit in a museum. (So, what is a carapace?) Beautiful flora and fauna depicted throughout the book. (It would be nice to have some explanations and factual information included.) The museum director's niece succeeds in having Mossy released to live happily ever after in the pond, with her friend Scoot.
Mossy, an Eastern box turtle, starts sprouting a garden from the carapace of her shell and becomes an exhibit in a museum. (So, what is a carapace?) Beautiful flora and fauna depicted throughout the book. (It would be nice to have some explanations and factual information included.) The museum director's niece succeeds in having Mossy released to live happily ever after in the pond, with her friend Scoot.
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With over thirty three million books in print, Jan Brett is one of the nation's foremost author illustrators of children's books. Jan lives in a seacoast town in Massachusetts, close to where she grew up. During the summer her family moves to a home in the Berkshire Hills of Massachusetts.
As a child, Jan Brett decided to be an illustrator and spent many hours reading and drawing. She says, "I reme...more
More about Jan Brett...
As a child, Jan Brett decided to be an illustrator and spent many hours reading and drawing. She says, "I reme...more
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