Through the warm tropical sea turtle swims gracefully, knowingly on her important migratory journey. And as she passes the reader is introduced to all manner of marine creatures by the question ‘Who saw Turtle?’ With gentle lyrical language we discover ‘the shark with the glinting pointy teeth saw turtle, the fish with glittery shimmering scales saw turtle, the seahorse with the clinging curly tail turtle’ all saw turtle as did many other animals and on every page we learn something unique about each and every one.
Throughout, the question ‘Who saw Turtle?’ is repeated and the story becomes interactive with the reader spying and naming the various creature depicted in the brilliantly colourful and vibrant illustrations created by the Balarinji Art studio. There is lovely use of alliteration and rhythm in the simple yet poetically descriptive language and the colourful engaging illustrations draw the reader into the warm sea waters as they follow turtle on her journey. This is a delightful book to share with young children in so many ways.
At the back of the book the text is presented in the Yanyuwa language of the Borroloola community in the Northern Territory. This is an area where turtles come annually to lay and hatch their eggs and is important to the community both culturally and economically.
Ros Moriarty is a journalist and successful business woman, Managing Director of the Balarinji Indigenous Strategy and Design and the Moriarty Foundation. She is the founder of Indi Kindi pre-literacy education, and author of the acclaimed 'Listening to Country' – a memoir of her journey with the matriarchs of her husband’s Aboriginal family.
Aboriginal and or Torres Strait Islander Resource
