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One Turtle's Last Straw

The Real-Life Rescue That Sparked a Sea Change

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The inspiring true story of how one small turtle and kids all over the country sparked an environmental movement. Based on the viral video that created awareness of the harm caused by plastic straws, this heart-wrenching story is a perfect tool for teaching children about sustainability.

Slurp! A boy finishes his drink and tosses it in the trash, straw and all. He moves on without another thought....
 
In the waters off of Costa Rica, scientists spot an endangered sea turtle and pull him aboard to study him. But he has something stuck in his nose. A barnacle? A stick? No...it's a plastic straw!
 
This heroic story of one turtle's rescue reminds us that even the smallest straw can hurt our ocean life--and that the smallest demand for change can grow into something big!
Elisa Boxer is an Emmy-winning journalist whose writing has been featured in publications including The New York Times and Fast Company. She is the author of several acclaimed nonfiction picture books, including The Tree of Life and Hidden Hope. She lives in Maine with her family.

Sofia Moore is a Jewish Ukrainian-American artist and illustrator based in Las Vegas, Nevada. She loves painting traditionally and layering textures both on paper and digitally. View titles by Elisa Boxer
Marta Álvarez Miguéns is a children's book illustrator based in Spain. She won the Blue Spruce, Chickadee, and Beehive awards for illustrating Shark Lady: The Story of How Eugenie Clark Became the Ocean’s Most Fearless Scientist. In her spare time, Marta loves playing with her three cats, walking in the woods, watching movies, and drinking a cup of coffee with her friends. View titles by Marta Álvarez Miguéns

About

The inspiring true story of how one small turtle and kids all over the country sparked an environmental movement. Based on the viral video that created awareness of the harm caused by plastic straws, this heart-wrenching story is a perfect tool for teaching children about sustainability.

Slurp! A boy finishes his drink and tosses it in the trash, straw and all. He moves on without another thought....
 
In the waters off of Costa Rica, scientists spot an endangered sea turtle and pull him aboard to study him. But he has something stuck in his nose. A barnacle? A stick? No...it's a plastic straw!
 
This heroic story of one turtle's rescue reminds us that even the smallest straw can hurt our ocean life--and that the smallest demand for change can grow into something big!

Author

Elisa Boxer is an Emmy-winning journalist whose writing has been featured in publications including The New York Times and Fast Company. She is the author of several acclaimed nonfiction picture books, including The Tree of Life and Hidden Hope. She lives in Maine with her family.

Sofia Moore is a Jewish Ukrainian-American artist and illustrator based in Las Vegas, Nevada. She loves painting traditionally and layering textures both on paper and digitally. View titles by Elisa Boxer
Marta Álvarez Miguéns is a children's book illustrator based in Spain. She won the Blue Spruce, Chickadee, and Beehive awards for illustrating Shark Lady: The Story of How Eugenie Clark Became the Ocean’s Most Fearless Scientist. In her spare time, Marta loves playing with her three cats, walking in the woods, watching movies, and drinking a cup of coffee with her friends. View titles by Marta Álvarez Miguéns

Books for Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Every May we celebrate the rich history and culture of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. Browse a curated selection of fiction and nonfiction books by AANHPI creators that we think your students will love. Find our full collection of titles for Higher Education here.

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