The narrative below is from the second part of the book. This book is aimed specifically toward 7th and 8th graders. Our heroine is a 7 to 9 year Mexican girl named Marta, she is 7years old in this scene. She has a long black ponytail. She is on a northeast Gulf of Mexico beach in Tamaulipas, MX. at 2am with her father. (Jaime Torres, a longliner fisherman) He has taken her there this night to see her first nesting sea turtle. Illustration #25 is the example the Sea Turtle Inc. staff has chosen to show off your talent. Most of the illustrations in the book will appear on the appropriate page with the narrative superimposed, but in some cases they will stand alone with the narrative before or after the illustration. Needless to say, the illustrations will be very important to the success of this book. All proceeds from the books sale will go (after expenses) to the restoration of sea turtle populations. The specific turtle in this scene is an Atlantic Green sea turtle. Accuracy in shell pattern and colors are always important to maintain correct science.

Not sure of what she was squinting to see, and concentrating fully on the surf line, Marta said nothing. About five meters out in the surf a round blackish mound had almost magically appeared and was slowly moving to the waters edge.

“I see something! Papa, is that a momma turtle?” Jaime Torres whispered in his daughter’s ear,
“Yes, and please talk in a whisper. This is an important time for her.”

The big turtle paused at the waters edge looking right and left up and down the beach as if to make sure it was safe to continue on up the beach. Even more softly now Jaime Torres continued,
“She is crawling this way so we need to get behind her so that she does not see us or she will abandon her attempt to nest and go back in the water.”

Marta’s interest was renewed; she could scarcely breathe as they scrunched down moving away to the right and circling behind the big turtle. Positioning themselves directly behind her, each fell to their knees. Marta followed her father’s lead and slowly both crawled behind the mother turtle.

(Illustration #25 – Marta and father crawling behind green turtle, wide beach scene, night, dunes and vegetation in background, moonlight )

The turtle moved both front flippers at the same time and pulled herself forward with great effort. The two rear flippers pushed against the sand to assist the forward movement. Three or four pulling and pushing efforts of the flippers were all the big turtle could manage before stopping to rest. Often she raised her head and gulped in huge breaths of air with a hissing sound which usually corresponded with the moment she rested.

“This momma is a very large tortuga verde (Green turtle,) one of the biggest I’ve ever seen,” Marta’s father sized the big reptile.

“I suspect she may weigh over 200 kilos (about 450lbs), she is a big momma,” he shook his head almost in disbelief!

That’s the sample. Good luck! Illustrations will be accepted through March 1, 2010. Please email a jpeg of your entry to seaturtleshop@yahoo.com, or if you would like to mail in your illustration please send to:

Sea Turtle, Inc.
PO Box 3987
South Padre Island, TX. 78597

Mail in entries must be postmarked by March 1, 2010.

The chosen artist will be contacted within the month of March.