The Secret Life of a Sea Turtle [Hardcover]

Follow the captivating yet perilous life of one sea turtle in this dazzling nonfiction tale by the co-founder of the Ocean Conservation Society, perfect for fans of Jason Chin's ISLAND.

On a beach at the R?a Lagartos nature reserve in Mexico, a sea turtle is born.

Newly hatched into a big world, she breaks out of an egg buried in the sand. Now, her journey begins. To reach the ocean she must avoid predatory opossums, crabs, and raccoons -- many of her siblings will not make it. But our sea turtle does, and when she finally dives beneath the blue sea, shell travel for thousands of miles on a beautiful and pulse-pounding adventure.

Brilliant, informative, and compelling,The Secret Life of a Sea Turtleis a sweeping nonfiction tale following one turtles extraordinary life from hatchling to adulthood, written by sea turtle expert and activist Maddalena Bearzi, and illustrated by rising star Alex Boersma.

Maddalena Bearziis a marine biologist, conservationist, photo-journalist, and published author of books and articles, includingBeautiful Minds: The Parallel Lives of Great Apes and Dolphins, Dolphin Confidential: Confessions of a Field Biologist, andStranded: Finding Nature in Uncertain Times. Maddalena was born and raised in Italy and now lives in Los Angeles, California, with her husband and dog.

Alex Boersmais a Canadian scientific artist and co-creator of the picture book,The Whale Who Swam Through Time. After studying geology and studio art at Vassar College, Alex worked at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. She now lives in Chicago.

A Junior Library Guild Selection
A Chicago Public Library Best Book of the Year
A 2026 OutstandilÎ