HOW THE OCEANS CAME TO BE

One individual can make all the difference.

This retelling of a traditional Lumbee origin story begins with Turtle Island, which “rest[s] on the back of a gigantic snapping turtle.” The turtle’s shell is divided into sections, one for each of the moons and for the days between each moon. The turtle has several hatchlings, one of which grows into a giant, selfish creature. The Great Snapping Turtle, as it is known, lives by the mouth of the great mother spring, which provides water for the other animals; the selfish turtle blocks the spring from flowing into the creek below. Summer comes, and all the animals on Turtle Island are thirsty. Rabbit travels the island to investigate. Even when other animals won’t help him, Rabbit does not give up. He discovers that there is no water because the giant turtle is sitting on the mouth of the mother spring. Though the turtle refuses to move, the rabbit tricks the turtle, and finally spring water gushes out, forming gullies. “Then the gullies became streams, and the streams came together to form the Lumbee River.” Relying on accessible language, Boughman’s well-paced story will leave readers with a relevant takeaway: All living things have the right to water. Vivid oil paintings illustrate landscapes of Turtle Island and tell a story of their own. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A compelling tale laced with an important message.