Thomas Radcliffe, Hector’s Shell, The Five Mile Press. 1 July 2015. 32pp., $19.95 (hbk) ISBN: 9871760067106
Hector Turtle has had a great day at the beach and now he needs to go home – but WHERE did he leave his shell when he was exploring underwater? Hector goes along the beach asking an odd assortment of beachgoers if they have seen the missing shell, but failing to locate it, Hector decides to make himself a new one – with some very amusing results.
Painlessly conveying to readers the message “look after your belongings”, the story also emphasises the value of making proactive efforts to solve the problem in some innovative ways. The creative use of found-objects is funny and engaging, and could be used for a discussion with young readers on how they could solve Hector’s problems. Charming illustrations and a map of Hector’s journey round out this entertaining story for early childhood readers.
Reviewed by Chloe Mauger
