Duffy’s Lucky Escape is a fantastic engaging story with the most stunning gorgeous illustrations that takes children on an adventure with Duffy when she encounters plastic pollution in the sea after a storm. This beautiful book, aimed at ages 4-10 years old, highlights the relationship between humans and wildlife, and how we negatively impact their health by polluting their natural habitats. It also teaches how to help in a fun and friendly way.
This book is the perfect present for a special child in your life or even gift a copy to a local school, community group or library.
Educational Value
The book and the accompanying website is exceptionally high quality with a wealth of learning opportunities. It can be used as an educational resource in any setting to discuss recycling, reducing use of single-use plastics, global citizenship, environmental activism and empathy for our natural world. The website has plenty of great ideas on the resources page. There are also some interesting little video clips on their facebook page about the making of the book too.
The Story Behind Duffy
Duffy was suffering from something called Floater’s Syndrome where the plastics she had eaten were stopping her from diving down under the water to eat. Luckily turtles who are on the surface are more likely to be spotted by people out on boats and so are more likely to be rescued. The first thing they do is to build up the turtles strength before they can find out what is wrong with it via x-ray. In lots of cases they see plastic caught in the turtles throat, stomach or intestines causing the blockage and making them feel very ill. If the turtle is well enough the vets can operate and remove the plastic before they can eventually be released back into their natural habitats. The whole process from the initial rescue to the release can take up to a year. Read the story in more detail here.
About the Author
I never thought about becoming an author, it was a process that I fell into by reason of circumstance and luck. An amazing opportunity to live for a year on a tropical island in the Great Barrier Reef was not something that I ever thought would lead to a new direction for me – we moved there as a family for beaches and adventure! The most beautiful beaches, framed by palm trees and sunsets, just how you would imagine an island paradise to be. We didn’t wear shoes for a year, we had our own pool, and a great circle of friends. My three children were all under school age and it was the perfect chance for us as a family to experience a more laid back approach to life and give our kids real freedom. My husband works from home and this allowed us the chance to try something different before we had to start real life when our eldest started school.
We heard about a turtle release happening on one of the beaches – I have to say I didn’t realise what a big deal this event was going to be – the whole island turned out plus TV cameras and journalists. When it was time for the turtle to be put back into the water, we formed two lines into the sea and the turtle was released on the beach and immediately headed for the sea and was gone in a matter of seconds. It was a surprisingly emotional experience to see this turtle who had spent a year in the aquarium getting fit and healthy again, returning to her ocean home.
After the turtle release, we visited the Turtle Hospital on the mainland and heard all the different reasons as to why turtles need our help – one of which is where they suffer from eating too much plastic. As soon as my young children had made the link between plastic on the beach and turtles, every time we went to the beach they were running around picking up rubbish saying “Mummy, I’m saving a turtle!â€. Well that was it for me, I was amazed at how such a simple true story could motivate and encourage such enthusiasm for picking up rubbish!
Further Information
Shop: Purchase via Duffy the Sea Turtle website directly or buy on Amazon.*
Cost: £7.99 with a percentage of all profits going to UK national marine charities.
To find out more, visit duffytheseaturtle.com or find them on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
*Contains an affilliate link.
Giveaway
One of you can win a copy of this wonderful book! Simply enter via rafflecopter below. UK residents only. Ends 15th December 2017. Other T&Cs apply. Good luck!
What a lovely, educational book for children. It’s important for children to learn how to look after our oceans.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything
Looks great! x
Really upsets me when you see the mess people leave on the beach. Doesn’t take 2 minutes to remove your litter also it doesn’t take long before a sea creature could die from your litter. I wish people would just think and take their stuff away with them. Plenty of bins at the seaside, so it’s not hard.
I think this is a good book it educates youngsters into the problems that could be avoided that Turtles have.Beautifully illustrated too!
this looks like such a lovely book
What a fantastic way to make people think about what they are littering, it looks beautifully illustrated xxx
The book looks good. Fingers crossed
Thanks for the great prize and competition.
Educational, and great illustrations. We are fond of animals, and sure the children would love this book.
Looks great.
This looks a lovely story. I know my son and daughter will love it. They both love sea turtles.
A lovely way to introduce the children to a different sea creature.
Lovely pictures 🙂
My niece has a Jamaican tortoise named Little Mo. She’d love this book.
Nice book to show how animal should live and not in the florida theme park prisons
What a lovely book to introduce the children to the danger we are putting these creatures into
Lovely, count me in
Sounds a good book, lets stop all the crap that is in the sea, fly tipping
My favorite animals are turtles. Would love this book for my daughter
This looks like a lovely story!
Such beautiful illustrations
Looks a beautiful book with lovely pictures
I love that it’s educating kids from a young age about respecting the oceans and also that they donate a portion of the profits to marine charities.
Looks like a heartwarming tale
Looks like such a lovely story and an important message to young readers.
looks great x
Such a wonderful books indeed! This is perfect for the kids for they love to hear these great stories, they would also learn good lessons from it and many more. I’ve had many story books at home for my nephews and neices. I enjoyed reading it too!
Thanks for sharing these beatiful post!
My son would be delighted to read this lovely book x
What a lovely book!
This looks like a very thought-provoking book
We live at the seaside and it breaks my heart to see the litter on the beach. Always good to read a book that makes them think about their actions!
I’m looking for books like this for my four year old niece for Christmas, so will make a note of it in case I am not lucky enough to win!
This sounds like a brilliant book. It would be a fantastic surprise for my friend’s little girl.
this looks fun for the little ones!
the illustrations are great
Sounds like a lovely book with a great message
A beautiful book to read and learn from
My nephew Lucas would be thrilled
Such a beautiful book with a great message which will encourage children at an early age to care for our environment.
Such a beautiful book my niece would love this x
My granddaughter would love this book
This sounds like a lovely book.
A lovely looking and sounding book
Looks a lovely book
the book looks great added to the fact it carries a message makes it very rewarding, hopefully from an early age children will learn the lesson that polluting the sea must stop.
This sounds like a great book.
looks lovely and if l were lucky enough to win it l think l’d be promoted to the rank of SuperGran
sounds like a fab story
looks so colourful x
it looks fab
looks lovely x