Turtle Tug to the Rescue

by Michael Slack, Michael Slack (Illustrator)

Overview

Turtle Tug is on the lookout! This chugging, tugging turtle powers through gusty winds and treacherous tides, combing the seas to protect his friends from a dangerous storm. From panicking puffins to entangled sperm whales, Turtle Tug is out to rescue all his sea-dwelling friends. He's a turtle tugboat on a mission to make the world a safer place.

A Christy Ottaviano Book

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250157492
Publisher:	Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
Publication date:	03/21/2017
Sold by:	Macmillan
Format:	eBook
Pages:	40
File size:	53 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	2 - 5 Years

About the Author

Michael Slack is the author of Monkey Truck and Elecopter. He is an artist and graphic designer whose work has been featured in various forms including books, comics, television, and games, most notably Cruddy Creeps. He lives in Lafayette, California.

Editorial Reviews

01/09/2017
Slack’s animal-vehicle heroes have vigilantly patrolled from the air (Elecopter) and on land (Monkey Truck). Now, the author-illustrator takes to the seas with a turtle that has a tugboat’s hull and wheelhouse for a shell, and a jaunty blue smokestack on top like a birthday cake candle. The waters are full of human-generated snares for Tug’s friends (fishing lines, plastic six-pack rings), and when a “tempestuous storm” hits, he’s the first—and only—responder. Slack’s rhymes play into the tension (“He weathers rough waves,/ his bearings are set,/ towing his cargo to/ a harbored inlet”), and the pictures may be the best in the series, with imaginative perspectives (several images show readers what’s happening above and below the water line) and texturing that feels like a cross between painting and letterpress. The stormy seas, which occupy most of the book, are a tumult of purples and blues, with evocative splatters of white for waves and foam. Turtle Tug is an unflashy but steady hero, and his steely determination to save the day is admirable and inspiring. Ages 2–5. Agent: Lori Nowicki, Painted Words. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

"The pictures may be the best in the series . . .Turtle Tug is a [. . .] steady hero, and his steely determination to save the day is admirable and inspiring."—Publishers Weekly

"Slack’s rhyming lines grow more urgent with the change in weather, echoing the escalating chaos in the colorful, richly textured artwork. Little ones will cheer on charming Turtle Tug in this story that playfully emphasizes perseverance, bravery, and togetherness."-Booklist

"The adventure of this new animal/machine crossbreed provides just the right combination of fun and sincerity. . . . The nail-biting narrative chugs effortlessly alongside Slack’s bright and bold digital artwork
. . . An exciting sea turtle storytime."—School Library Journal

"The third installment of Slack's wildly inventive animal/rescue-vehicle hybrids . . . A role model for all, levelheaded Turtle Tug keeps his cool even in times of danger."-Kirkus Reviews

Praise for Elecopter:
“Giggle-inducing humor and nail-biting action . . .”—Publishers Weekly

“Ahh! The cuteness! It blinds! . . . Kids will instinctively get it and probably love it.”—Booklist

Praise for Monkey Truck:
"My three-year-old loves Michael Slack's new picture book Monkey Truck…The artwork is great, colorful and elaborated with lots of details that are fun to talk about during storytime. All told, it's a darned fun storytime treat." —Cory Doctorow, BoingBoing.com

"The bright, blocky and, above all, goofy digitally painted illustrations will grab attention, and Monkey Truck's hooting mug (and tooting bottom) will keep the giggles flowing. Hope for more from this outrageous imagination." —Kirkus Reviews

"Slack's choppy, rhyming text is propelled by sound effects and exclamations that enhance the book's read-aloud appeal…A slight yet spirited romp." —Publishers Weekly

"Slack's digitally rendered artwork is abundant with enjoyable texture and detail, and the jungle citizens are remarkably expressive." —Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

From the Publisher

03/01/2017
PreS-Gr 2—Next in Slack's hybrid animal/vehicle series is a book about a sea turtle who doubles as an ocean rescue tugboat. As in Monkey Truck and Elecopter, the adventure of this new animal/machine crossbreed provides just the right combination of fun and sincerity. After all, Turtle Tug isn't just out for a joy ride; he's busy rescuing a seal pup stuck in a treacherous surf, a whale tangled in fishing netting, and a squid entrapped in human plastic pollution. The nail-biting narrative chugs effortlessly alongside Slack's bright and bold digital artwork, which helps drive the action. The eye-catching illustrations matched with the clever rhyming verse amplify the tale's read-aloud appeal, and the happy ending ("From stem to stern,/he's loyal as can be./A special sea vessel,/steward of the sea") will have toddlers cheering for this turtle tug. VERDICT Pair this engaging read-aloud with Kevin Sherry's Turtle Island for an exciting sea turtle storytime. Purchase where other titles in the series are popular or where animal or vehicle rescue materials fly off the shelves.—Brianne Colombo, Pequannock Township Public Library, NJ

School Library Journal

2016-11-23
The third installment of Slack's wildly inventive animal/rescue-vehicle hybrids (Monkey Truck, 2011, etc.).Turtle Tug has flippers below and a tugboat deck above, formed by his green speckled shell. It's his job to keep the sea safe. He chugs along "with a keen, watchful eye" on all his oceanic friends. But suddenly, "The sun disappears. / Clouds gather and form. / The ocean is brewing a / tempestuous storm." (Look at that seamless insertion of an SAT word.) Fierce determination crosses Turtle Tug's face, and he plows into the turbulent waves to save his friends. Panicked puffins need a ride, and a stranded seal pup grabs a life preserver. The most unlikely of all the rescues—a sperm whale tangled in lines is towed to safety—is still endearing. Fans will cheer Turtle Tug on in his mission. Besides championing selfless acts of bravery, Slack also comments on the environment. In addition to the whale's predicament, a poor squid is hampered not by the storm but by six-pack rings and plastic bags. Each creature's worrisome looks of woe are replaced by wide smiles once the stormy sea abates. A role model for all, levelheaded Turtle Tug keeps his cool even in times of danger. (Picture book. 2-5)

Kirkus Reviews