The Turtle

The Lighthouse Family #4

by Cynthia Rylant, Preston McDaniels (Illustrator)

Newbery Medalist Cynthia Rylant brings the peaceful sounds, sights, and characters of the coast vividly to life in the fourth book of the Lighthouse Family series, in which the family rescues a trapped turtle.

A thick fog has found its way up north to the lighthouse family, surrounding the cliffs and waters below. Always ready to lend a hand, the lighthouse siblings Whistler and Lila help Seabold guide small ships to land. As they overlook the foggy waters, they hear a distant voice echoing from the rocks below. Who could it be?

Using only a rope and their hearts to guide them, Seabold, Lila, and Whistler make their way down the side of the cliff. And what they discover will help them weather even the thickest fog—a new friend.

Genres: Childrens, Fiction, Animals, Middle Grade, Fantasy, Chapter Books, Juvenile

48 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

An author of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry for children and young adults as well as an author and author/illustrator of picture books for children, Cynthia Rylant is recognized as a gifted writer who has contributed memorably to several genres of juvenile literature. A prolific author who often bases her works on her own background, especially on her childhood in the West Virginia mountains, she is the creator of contemporary novels and historical fiction for young adults, middle-grade fiction and fantasy, lyrical prose poems, beginning readers, collections of short stories, volumes of poetry and verse, books of prayers and blessings, two autobiographies, and a biography of three well-known children's writers; several volumes of the author's fiction and picture books are published in series, including the popular "Henry and Mudge" easy readers about a small boy and his very large dog.

Rylant is perhaps most well known as a novelist. Characteristically, she portrays introspective, compassionate young people who live in rural settings or in small towns and who tend to be set apart from their peers.

from bookrags.com

Reviews

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another sweet story. The ending was a huge hit.

[Chloe (Always Booked) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Are these books getting shorter as the series goes on? I dont' know but I sure feel like it. In this one, the family finds a sea turtle who wandered North to see the northern lights and now can't get back to warmer water because the water is too cold. The family, along with a flock of pelicans helps her get home. This was cute and gave us a couple things to look up and learn more about (the northern lights, lifespan of a sea turtle, etc.) but it was pretty basic and quick.

[Orinoco Womble (tidy bag and all) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was again enchanted by Rylant's gentle tale of a sea turtle in trouble. Aurora was following her dream of seeing the Northern Lights, and found herself in uncomfortably cold and foggy waters. Seabold and the mouse-children to the rescue, while Pandora figures out a way for her to get home.

The illustrations add so much to the stories themselves, but unfortunately I bought the paperback edition, which makes the pencil lines so pale that they are hard to see. This isn't just because this story is set in a sea fog--all the Lighthouse Family paperbacks are like that. Was the publisher trying to save on ink? If I didn't love the story as much as I do, that would cost a star.

Read it in hardback or ebook if you can, so you can see the pictures. But do read it!

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

2025: my 5 yo still loves these.

2024: My 4-year-old is enjoying this little series. She especially loves the mice children. The books are easy to manage with four chapters, but the length of each chapter is longer than some books that we've read. That's not a negative towards the books. Just an observation.

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

With only four chapters, the kiddos had me finish reading this to them in one day. Rylant does such a great job of teaching interesting facts about animals and nature by seamlessly making them a part of the story.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the most delightful of this series, so far. Love the ending so much!

[Erica Sonzogni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solitary creatures end up enjoying each other’s company in The Lighthouse Family series by Cynthia Rylant. In book four, The Turtle, Pandora, Seabold, and the mouse children help Aurora, the sea turtle, get back to her family. She gets stuck at the base of the lighthouse mountain and cannot swim back home due to the change of seasons and cold seas. Together, the family focuses their attention around Aurora, creating a plan in order to get her safely back to her family. Pandora knows the pelicans in the area and being that she has helped them in the past, they are more than willing to assist in delivering Aurora. They all create a net which Aurora can ride in while the pelicans fly her home in order to avoid the chilly waters. Through this act of service, the Lighthouse Family makes a new friend.

This short chapter book has a simple plot and characters yet many pieces of descriptive language and complex sentence structure. Children will easily be able to comprehend the storyline while enriching their vocabularies and learning new writing and visualization techniques to add into their own stories. For example, words like “candlesnuffer” are used as well as sentences such as “From their cottage window high on the cliff, Whistler and Lila could see the clear blue sky above them but only a gray cotton blanket of fog below.” Even though the chapters are longer than the first book in the series, The Storm, there are more pictures and many less chapters altogether. The message of cooperation and service to others without gain give the book a wholesome feel that families will love to read together or young children will enjoy independently.

[Sonia Schoenfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sea turtle who has made her way north and seen the northern lights is now unable to swim back to the south because she is so cold. Pandora the problem solver asks her pelican friends to take Aurora the sea turtle with them as they migrate south and the Lighthouse Family sends their new turtle friend on her way home.

[Jenny · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one was less annoying than some of the previous books in this series. And, to be fair, the illustrations really are lovely. I'm just very ready to be done with the Lighthouse Family. Thankfully, this is the last one we own, so I can call it quits now.

[Nicoswan · Rating 4 out of 5]

We are listening to the collection on audio book. The narrator is wonderful and has some great voices for the different characters.
The stories are fun and sweet, just like my little family.
I'm so glad I rediscovered these for my youngest.

[Leilani Curtis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very sweet. Favorite in the series so far!

[Joanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read to Leif.

[Trish · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute book about a turtle who has lost her way.

[Jane Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely story about Aurora, the sea turtle named for the northern lights, who gets caught in waters far too cold for her.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

These books are just too cute.

[Michael & Photini Holverson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Compared to the first three in this collection The Turtle seems lack luster and rather average. Nothing wrong with the book and it was still wholesome and sweet.

[Jlnpeacock Peacock · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet story for young readers.

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a cute read aloud for kids :)

[Emily]

Really recommend this children’s series for the animal lover in your life. My 7 year old daughter keeps telling me how much she loves these books, which is a huge win.

[Bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super cute little book!

[Kelsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cat, a dog and three orphaned mice make up the Lighthouse Family. In The Turtle, the family must work together to rescue a stranded turtle.

The Lighthouse Family series would be appropriate for readers between five and seven. The tales would be appropriate for teaching themes of friendship, teamwork and family. The books are heartwarming and will leave young readers smiling. The illustrations also help to define the characters. Readers that enjoyed The Wind in the Willows may also enjoy The Lighthouse Family series.

[Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the fourth book of The Lighthouse Family series Seabold and the mice children help a sea turtle return to warmer waters with the aid of some pelicans. Aurora traveled north to see the northern lights for which she was named but the waters were too cold for her. It's nice to see children be strong and clever while also following the guidance of their elders.

[Theresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

the story of an odd collection of family that live on a lighthouse island and their loving adventures, they use their loving helping nature to save a turtle that was lost in the cold sea after trying to see the northern lights.

[Kathleen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Calder and I are racing through this Cynthia Rylant series. The Turtle was my least favorite so far, but it won't stop us from heading to the library today to check out the rest! Rylant is such a perfect children's writer, and I love sharing these short chapter books with my boy.

[E.L.]

Much shorter than the first book in the series, they read this in one night. Still enjoyable, though! Think we'll get through as many of this series as our library has. Kids ages when first read: 6 and 7 1/2.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

These character names and quick sweet stories, you can’t help but fall in love with them.

[Bianca! · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Lighthouse Family helps again!

[Lorna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet and gentle like the other books in the series. This one focuses on the "visiting" turtle and the two oldest mouse children.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fun one by Rylant.

[Alison Strumbeck · Rating 5 out of 5]

So sweet! Made me want to cry at the beginning but a happy ending as always. This is the winter tale.