LONESOME GEORGE THE GIANT TORTOISE

Jacobs offers a story based on the true story of George, a giant land tortoise from Pinta Island in the Galapagos. George spends his day eating spiny cactus, snoozing to avoid the hot sun, and searching for a mate. Unfortunately, the island, once a haven for these slow-moving reptiles, has become overrun with wild goats that eat everything, stripping the island bare; George is the only remaining tortoise. Wardens come to shoot the goats and upon finding George, capture him, taking him to a preserve, where he becomes an instant celebrity. Zoos around the world continue to search for a female tortoise from Pinta. An afterword provides a capsule history of saddleback tortoises and an explanation of how people and alien animals destroy fragile habitats. The illustrator uses the double-page layout to good advantage and a soft-colored palette of green, gold, and tan to depict the austere island landscape. An appealing picture-book introduction to ecology—and an unusual animal. (Web sites) (Nonfiction. 7-10)