The Turtle Page 2

“That’s an abalone shell I found after a storm,” said Whistler. “It has the colors of the aurora borealis.”

  Big round tears dropped from the sea turtle’s eyes.

  “Oh dear,” said Lila, pulling out her hankie.

  “I will never forget you,” said Aurora. “Any of you.

  “Bon voyage, Aurora,” said Seabold.

  “Godspeed,” said Pandora.

  And with a word from Augustus, the six strong pelicans spread their long, long wings, caught the wind, and lifted the turtle into the air.

  “Good-bye! Good-bye!” called the lighthouse family.

  “Good-bye!” called Aurora.

  And the family watched in silence as the sea turtle disappeared into the blue horizon.

  Lila’s wide eyes were wet.

  “Oh, dear,” said Pandora, pulling out a hankie.

  “Well done,” said Seabold, patting Whistler on the shoulder. “Well done.”

  On the way back to the lighthouse, Whistler asked Seabold if they might sail north to see the lights one day.

  And the dog answered, “Absolutely. Oh yes, absolutely.”

  CYNTHIA RYLANT is the author of more than 100 books for young people, including the beloved Henry and Mudge, Annie and Snowball, Brownie • Pearl, and Mr. Putter • Tabby series. Her novel Missing May received the Newbery Medal. She lives in Lake Oswego, Oregon. Visit her at CynthiaRylant.com. PRESTON MCDANIELS lives on the Great Plains in Aurora, Nebraska.

  BEACH LANE BOOKS

  Simon & Schuster • New York

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  authors.simonandschuster.com/Cynthia-Rylant

  authors.simonandschuster.com/Preston-McDaniels

  ALSO AVAILABLE

  The Lighthouse Family: The Storm

  The Lighthouse Family: The Whale

  The Lighthouse Family: The Eagle

  BEACH LANE BOOKS

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  Text copyright © 2005 by Cynthia Rylant

  Illustrations copyright © 2005 by Preston McDaniels

  Jacket design by Dan Potash and Lucy Ruth Cummins

  All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form.

  BEACH & LANE BOOKS is a trademark of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

  The text for this book is set in Centaur.

  The illustrations for this book are rendered in graphite.

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Rylant, Cynthia.

  The lighthouse family. The turtle / Cynthia Rylant ; illustrated by Preston McDaniels.— 1st ed.

  p. cm.

  title: Turtle.

  Summary: When Aurora the sea turtle becomes stranded in fog and cold water near a lighthouse, Pandora the cat, Seabold the dog, and their three adopted mouse children call on the pelicans for help.

  ISBN 0-689-86244-X

  ISBN 978-1-4424-9937-9 (eBook)

  [1. Animals—Fiction. 2. Sea turtles—Fiction. 3. Turtles—Fiction. 4. Pelicans—Fiction. 5. Auroras—Fiction. 6. Lighthouses—Fiction.] I. Title: Turtle. II. McDaniels, Preston, ill. III. Title.

  PZ7.R982Lge 2005

  [E]—dc22 2004007447