Mossy

Mossy is no ordinary turtle. A whole garden grows across her shell, and that is exactly what draws the attention of Dr. Carolina, a biologist who carries her off to live in a museum built in the Edwardian era. Crowds come to admire the famous turtle, but her new home is a viewing pavilion far from the water and the wild places she knows.

One visitor sees what the others miss. Tory, Dr. Carolina's niece, can tell that Mossy is unhappy. The turtle longs for the outdoors and for her friend Scoot, who is still back at Lilypad Pond. The question hanging over the story is who will help her get back.

Dr. Carolina comes up with an answer that lets her keep something of Mossy at the museum while still doing right by the turtle. She asks the artists Flora and Fauna to paint Mossy's portrait, and then she and Tory carry Mossy home, where Scoot is waiting.

Jan Brett's illustrations carry much of the story. Scenes at Lilypad Pond are framed by borders of wildflowers, ferns, butterflies and birds, while the museum spreads show visitors in elegant period clothes, surrounded by borders of shells, rocks, crystals and birds' eggs. The book gives young readers a look at nature in the wild and nature as it is displayed in a natural history museum.