Bravery - by Bec Martin (Hardcover)

About the Book

11 full-page water color illustrations lend to the beauty of this sweet story of a baby loggerhead sea turtle emerging from her nest and bravely facing the world. The story is written from the sea turtle's perspective.

Book Synopsis

Beautifully illustrated with full page watercolor paintings, Bravery: A Baby Sea Turtle's First Adventure, is an award-winning story of a sea turtle hatchling figuring out what and who she is, as she begins to emerge from her egg, deep underneath the sand. She must navigate her way to the surface of the sand, along with her siblings, and then make her way safely to the ocean to begin her life as a sea turtle. The book hopes to inspire acts of bravery in children who read and engage with the story of Shelley the sea turtle. The story is written from the sea turtle's perspective.

Martin is hoping to inspire children all over the world to be brave, aided by the memory of this endearing story of Shelley, the loggerhead sea turtle.

The BookFest Awards - First Place Winner: Nonfiction - Children's - Animals, Fall 2025

Review Quotes

"Thank you to Bec Martin, for bravely protecting nesting sea turtles, their nests, and their hatchlings. And thank you for imagining a hatchling's perilous journey to the ocean and for sharing that brave journey with others through this book. Her engaging imagery of the journey is both realistic and creative." - Kathy Zagzebski, Executive Director, The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center

"A baby sea turtle sets off for the ocean in Martin's picture book. The very first things a turtle knows is the dark interior of its egg and a vague sense that others are nearby: As Martin's reptile protagonist breaks through its shell, it discovers many others like it, working hard to climb out from the sand. However, reaching the surface is just the beginning; an instinctual urge keeps pushing the turtles further. The moon shines down on them as they wonder at their surroundings. With confidence and courage, the first-person chelonian narrator leads its fellow hatchlings onward. They slide down sand dunes and feel the tug of the ocean as they embark upon the final leg of their journey to the sea. This simple, educational book from Martin is light on plot and focuses on an imagined version of the turtles' emotional journey. It could effectively serve as a basic introduction for kindergarten-age readers learning about wildlife." - Kirkus Reviews