The Great Snapping Turtle Adventure
A Mystery Story for Young Teens
by Susan Yaruta-Young
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Pub Date Jul 01 2015 | Archive Date Jan 05 2016
Description
"Ain't it a beaut?" said the old woman…
When Fred takes stepsons Max and Charles to Elliott Island for a day of crabbing, none of them are expecting to encounter anything out of the ordinary. But all bets are off when you drive out that long narrow road to the End of the World.
An old woman gives them a giant snapping turtle to sell, and their day gets weird. And when they stumble across the same woman's gravestone--with her death date inscribed, but hidden in the ground--their trip becomes stranger still.
As every answer leads to more questions, what starts as a "Boys' Day Out" becomes an adventure that will not soon be forgotten.
A Note From the Publisher
Susan Yaruta-Young is a pastor whose family roots in Maryland date to the 17th century. Before moving to the coast of Maine with her husband, Luther Young, and their family, she worked as a Maryland State Arts Council Poet in the Schools.
Advance Praise
“The Great Snapping Turtle Adventure by Susan Yaruta-Young is a lively, joyful splash into the rapidly disappearing cultural treasures of Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay and one tiny Eastern Shore water community. Meet Max and Charles, two young boys highly skilled in the arts of insults and banter; curious, ready for adventure and only a little bit afraid of ghosts. In one day they inherit a giant snapping turtle, discover the tombstone of someone still living, sample Chesapeake delicacies and come face to face with a grieving ghost! In the process the boys learn important environmental lessons from those who still understand the delicate balance of give and take needed to preserve the Bay. Come to the End of the World, you might even see those miraculous dancing blue crabs!”
- Teresa Whitaker, Storyteller/Musician
“In her fast-paced little story, The Great Snapping Turtle Adventure, Ms. Yaruta-Young has written a delightful tale of mystery and adventure, which makes it an irresistible read for preteens. Filled with beautifully written, descriptive passages of Maryland's Eastern Shore,the reader is instantly transported to the lovely town of Vienna, Elliott Island and the Chesapeake Bay. As one reads about the marshes, reeds, plants, herons, geese, fish, blue-fin crabs and great gray snapping turtles, one is reminded of the importance of always taking care of the environment.
“I can't wait to share this wonderful, action-filled story with my teacher colleagues, as well as my grandchildren and their friends. I hope that Ms. Yaruta-Young will write a sequel, and maybe even decide to write a series of books with the same characters and theme. They are sure to be a hit with young readers!”
- Helen McShane, School Teacher, Baltimore County and Carroll County, Maryland
“As a musician and storyteller, I was thrilled to find the best ghost story I’ve heard in a long time (with a singing ghost!) right in the middle of this great adventure! Having been to Vienna and spent lots of time on the Eastern Shore of MD, I think this book covers a great deal of the culture in a very short time.
“The reader gets a real feel for life down by the Chesapeake Bay. You can just about taste the salt in the air and smell the fine cookin’ as you travel the back roads down to the “End of the World” and meet up with a gi-normous snapper!
“Written by one of my favorite Poets, this story is chock full of lyrical descriptions of a land set apart from the hectic pace of the Megalopolis, where sun & wind, water & land create an environment that makes even the fast-paced urban visitors slow down and enjoy the view. I highly recommend this book to young & old. It will make you want to visit the Eastern Shore and make your own adventure!”
- Slim Harrison, Singer and Songwriter
"An intriguing trip involving a good old fashioned adventure filled with colorful characters which are sure to thrill every young reader. Enjoy the mystery and vivid descriptions that capture the beat of natural cycles and the cultural fabric of the Maryland shore."
- Martha Bell, Environmental Educator
“Beautifully written, charming illustrations. A delightful story of a step-dad and his two young sons as they share an unforgettable adventure over the course of one day on Maryland's Eastern Shore. Author Yaruta-Young has written a well-paced, fun-packed story, rich in detail --how to catch a crab! how not to hold a snapping turtle! -- and peopled with unique characters, both real and other-worldly.”
- Karen W. Chambers, Program Director (past), Cloisters Children's Museum, Baltimore, MD
“With a poet’s sensibility and the hand of an experienced waterman, Yaruta-Young imparts her love of the seashore and specifically the art of crabbing and turtle-tending while the stepfather in her charming little book teaches his enthusiastic if rather smart-alecky stepsons. These human relationships ensure that this is more than a “nature book,” but a confirmation that re-jiggered families can radiate strong rapport.
“If certain mysterious presences here linger in the wings, they fit in with the whole scene. As for the large snapping turtle who knows what she wants—Read on…”
- Elisavietta Ritchie, Author, Guy Wires, In Haste I Write You This Note, Tiger Upstairs on Connecticut Avenue
Marketing Plan
NetGalley
Co-op marketing with Independent Book Publishers Association
Author signings in Maine and Maryland
Regional publicity
NetGalley
Co-op marketing with Independent Book Publishers Association
Author signings in Maine and Maryland
Regional publicity
Available Editions
| EDITION | Paperback |
| ISBN | 9780990938057 |
| PRICE | $11.95 (USD) |
Featured Reviews
Polly K, Reviewer
A delightful story with just enough fantastic, thought-provoking twists to keep you guessing. Recommended for either reading aloud to children or encouraging YA readers.
Librarian 192043
This book nicely mixed a family trip with nature, local history and a little boy adventure. I knew the area a bit so I could visualize the story easily. May be a great book for kids who don't like fantasy but need to read fiction.
Jo Ann H, Bookseller
How often does someone offer you a snapping turtle for free? And how often do you later visit an old graveyard and find the old woman's headstone already in the ground? Was she a ghost?
Secant Publishing and Net Galley allowed me to read this book for review (thank you). It was published July 1st, so you can get a copy now.
This is a sweet story of a stepdad taking his boys out to do some crabbing. Fred is nice, has patience with the boys, and is willing to explore things most people wouldn't. What more could a father do?
Max and Charles are fascinated by the turtle but soon enough decide they'd rather let her go instead of selling her for turtle soup. After all, she's about to lay eggs for the next generation... But how to do that?
The Inn they stay at has a resident ghost. The boys hear the rocking chair at night while trying to rescue the turtle and get scared. I think maybe it was the owner of the Inn toying with them, but who knows? They eat at a secret restaurant that has wonderful food. Where did it come from? They also visit a button factory that was an interesting side trip.
As I read the story, I didn't know if it was all true or a figment of imagination. What I do know is that they all had fun and went home with fresh crab to eat. After all, that's what the trip was about, wasn't it?
Librarian 15874
Fun adventure that's more than a story about nature along the coastline.
Charming story.
Renae M, Reviewer
I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
My Rating: ★★★★☆
Pros:
--It was a fun “boy’s day out” book. I could see my son reading this book someday.
--It was very carefree and nostalgic. It made me miss summers as a kid.
--Adding an alternative family dynamic by making it a story about brothers and their step-dad was cool, because it gives middle-graders reading it something to relate to if they are in that situation.
Cons:
--Nothing really, I just didn’t rate it five stars because I probably won’t reread it.
My Thoughts: Overall, this was a really fun boyhood adventure book. Perfect for middle-graders, but still fun for an adult to read. I’ll definitely buy a copy to shelve for later, when my son can read.
lisa F, Reviewer
Thank you for giving me a free copy of this amazing book to read and review and can I just say I absolutely loved it. I read this story to my children as there bed time story and we all really enjoyed it. this is an amazing adventure for children and big children like me . If you want to read a fun adventure story this is the book for you and this book has been published now so you can get it from anywhere. we as a family loved it thanks again.
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