Book Review: But Where Do Sea Turtles Live? by Elina Ellis

Ratring: 4 Stars

I recently picked up But Where Do Sea Turtles Live? by Elina Ellis, and I have to say, it’s a charming and informative read that both kids and adults can appreciate. Part of the Alex’s Field Guides series, this book follows Alex and her friends from the Curious Explorers Club as they try to solve a simple but intriguing question: where exactly do sea turtles live?

The story unfolds through Alex’s journal entries, filled with fascinating facts about sea turtles—their size, diet, nesting habits, and the environments they call home. As the explorers share their guesses and observations, readers get drawn into a fun blend of storytelling and factual learning. What I really liked is how the book subtly stresses the importance of protecting endangered species and their habitats without feeling preachy. It’s educational while still being engaging.

The illustrations are bright and inviting, perfectly complementing the text and making the science feel accessible for young readers. Plus, at the end of the book, there are some great ideas for kids to start their own explorer clubs—encouraging curiosity and environmental stewardship in a hands-on way.

Overall, I found this book to be a wonderful resource for anyone interested in marine life or looking for a thoughtful addition to a school library. The cover itself caught my eye right away, and inside, it’s packed with interesting info that can spark meaningful conversations about nature and conservation. My only reason for holding back from five stars is that some sections felt a bit dense for the youngest readers, but that might just mean it’s perfect for slightly older kids or those with a keen interest in animals.

If you’re looking for a well-rounded introduction to sea turtles—complete with facts, fun, and a call to protect our natural world—this book is definitely worth checking out!

⚠️This review was written based on personal opinions and experiences with the book. Individual preferences may vary⚠️

An amazingly in-depth introduction to all types of sea turtles and will leave you wanting to learn more. A little light on the story part in comparison to the fact pages, but an engaging read nonetheless - chock-full of information. The end of the book has a bunch of fun ideas on starting your own club to learn and protect animals, plants, and nature in general.

Recommended ages: 4 to 8

In this Alex’s Field Guides book, the Curious Explorer Club members embark on a mission to answer the question “Where Do Sea Turtles Live?”. With beautiful illustrations, the pages describe the various habitats (ex: estuaries, coral reefs), types of turtles (ex: loggerhead, hawksbill), typical meals (ex: crab, kelp). The book also explains how turtles hatch and return to their hatching grounds as well as how kids can start their own Curious Explorers Club (ex: name and logo and planned activities like nature walks and scavenger hunts). My five-year old and I really enjoyed reading this book and learning all the new information this book imparts. We are looking forward to reading more books from the Alex’s Field Guides series.

But Where Do Sea Turtles Live? will be published June 3, 2025.

Thank you to NetGalley, Kids Can Press, and Elina Ellis for this free, advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

In this charming children's picture book, a group of young children set off across the world to determine exactly where sea turtles live-- and their findings surprise them! Elina Ellis has created a delightful book which will hopefully inspire young readers to develop a blossoming passion for science and nature. This book is filled with maps and analysis which will impress teachers, librarians, and even the most selective parents.

Through a long journey, a group of children attempt to answer a most impressive question posed by one among their group, "But Where Do Sea Turtles Live?" Together, they journey to rock pools, kelp forests, estuaries coral reefs, sea caves. estuaries, aquariums, and even the North Pole. Throughout their entire adventure, their navigational guide provides details and facts about the fascinating sea turtles and each of their variations.


This is a uniquely educational book for exceptionally early readers which may serve as a practical springboard to MG books about science and nature.

Very cute

I very much enjoyed "But Where Do Sea Turtles Live?". Both nonfiction, informative, and adventure club, there's a diverse, interested group of kids exploring nature and sharing their knowledge. The illustrations are colorful and detailed. Great addition to a kid's library.

This is a nice mixed used book. It’s both a picture book with an adventure club as well as a nonfiction book with facts about sea turtles. It altogether works quite well. You can leave out the info bit if you want to read it for story time or just read the info bit if you’ve got a kid really interested in sea turtles.

Love this book! It was such a clever idea for the author to use a story with a plot to inspire and educate readers all in one book. The story creates fun and gives the book a solid structure, and the facts about sea turtles gives this book a purpose and meaning. These two things came together flawlessly in the end, and really finished the book off nicely. Adding onto the information bits: it was all genuinely interesting! Nonfiction can usually be pretty dull, but this book went against that and made learning engaging. I also loved the variety of different sea turtle types included in this book; it widens the scope and makes for a much "fuller" and "rounded" book. Lastly, I loved the last few pages that provided tips and steps for readers to start their own Explorers Club. Including this in the book was such a great choice, bravo! I have zero doubt that many young readers are going to read this book and immediately want to be the best animal experts in their communities. Great job!!

“I thought it was an AMAZING book. I Iike the pictures. 4.5 stars because some words were confusing” - jayde, 8 years old

Featuring a diverse cast of characters, this book seamlessly blends storytelling with informative content. Infographics enhance comprehension, making complex facts more accessible to young readers. Alex’s journal presents valuable information in easily digestible entries, while the engaging back matter offers insightful guidance on starting an explorers club, inspiring readers to embark on their own adventures. A great addition to any collection.

This was such a great introduction to sea turtles. The information was presented in a really great question and answer format which made it easy to follow and understand. The illustrations were SO beautiful and perfect for the information presented. The way that environmental concerns were addressed was factual, gentle and simple. I particularly loved the pages at the end with ideas of how to start your own explorers club and where to go for further reading. I will definitely seek out more from this series. Thank you for the eARC!

I received a copy of this eBook from netGalley for a honest review.

A fun way to learn about sea turtles and the scientific process. I like how the kids guess and give reason and then learn if they are right or wrong in their assumptions. I look forward to more books like this one.

This book was so stinkin' cute.

I loved the illustrations. & that it was kids exploring and how they taught us about rock pools, types of sea turtles, from their hatchings to where they go and what they eat. It was so insanly packed with information and I really liked it.

Thank you for the ARC. Although this book was a bit advanced for my son, one day it will be a cute book for him. Loved the illustrations and it was very informative about turtles

I enjoyed the different way of exploring something kids are interested in and tackling it through a kids explorers club. I appreciated the question and answer format between Alex and her friends.about sea turtles and what they were learning.