Yoshi's Big Swim is a true story about a loggerhead turtle, who was found with a gash in her shell when she was very young. A group of fishermen rescued her, named her and brought her to the Two Oceans Aquarium in Cape Town. They rehabilitated her, raised her and taught her how to survive in the wile. She was released at the age of twenty to live in the ocean and hopefully have young to continue to add to the shrinking population of Loggerhead turtles. They put a tracker on her so they could see where she went. She travelled for 2 years and swam 22,000 miles, before deciding where she would make her home. I really liked how the book had facts about the turtles and their endangerment at the end of the book. There was also a link to the aquarium to learn more. We actually went out and did an internet search and there are a lot of videos online about Yoshi. My granddaughter could not read this one (she is only 7), but she enjoyed learning about Yoshi. Of course, now she wants to find a place to see real loggerhead turtles. The illustrations were wonderful, realistic and colourful. This is a great book to use in classrooms when teaching about endangered species, what human's are doing to the environment, and that there are things to do to protect the animals.

Thank you to NetGalley for this title.

This is such an endearing and heartwarming true story of an injured turtle who is taken in and rehabilitated and lives among humans for many years. She is eventually released back into the ocean and her 2 year, 22,000 mile journey is followed and it’s quite inspiring. I cried and was deeply moved by Yoshi’s journey. Very beautiful illustrations as well ♥️

4 stars!

I need to re-read this to my kid now that she’s learned about Yoshis in Mario! Now, the turtle here has no relation. It’s merely a name given by a group of Japanese fishermen to a small, injured sea turtle they found. Yoshi was relocated to an aquarium in Cape Town, South Africa, where she lived for 20 years. And then, Yoshi was trained for wild life, radio tagged, and released for her epic journey.

The book does include a map, but if you have access to a globe, or even Google Earth, show off just how far this journey was. “Here’s where we live, here’s where X relative lives. See how far? This is how far Yoshi swam!”

The artwork is done digitally, but masterfully recreates oil pastels. Yoshi, being a turtle, has no expression. No anthropomorphizing here! But the humans who care for Yoshi show plenty of affection, excitement, and concern.

This book is a great intro for a unit on sea turtles, ocean conservation, and geography.

ARC provided by the publisher.

This is a nonfiction book about Yoshi, a turtle that was found injured and was later taken care of at a rescue center. At the end, the turtle was sent back to it's natural habitat and tracked on her journey. Yoshi’s story has become an inspiration for many, I liked how heartening and lovely this story is, but I didn't really like the execution. The illustrations are similarly lovely and beautiful.

This is so sweet and touching at the same time. At first, I thought this was just a children's story. Learning this was a true story makes me want to tear up a little bit. Yoshi crept into my heart as well, it seems.

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. This is an excellent true story about a turtle that is injured and then released back into the wild.

Can I give more than five stars? I need to give this one more than five stars.

I wasn't expecting a true story that would creep into my heart and fill my eyes with tears when I picked up Yoshi's Big Swim. Honestly I don't know what I was expecting, but a success story about an ocean ambassador like Yoshitaro wasn't it. But I'm so glad to have read this gem of a book.

This is the inspiring true story of a small turtle who inspired a turtle rescue effort that still goes on today at the Two Oceans Aquarium in South Africa. I can't imagine there's a child or adult who wouldn't feel warmed by this incredible story.

Yoshi's Big Swim is going to make a splash in the world. I truly think that this book should be sold in Aquariums and Zoos around the world because it tells the tale of how important aquariums are for the wildlife populations of the world. With gorgeous illustrations and an amazing story it tells the true story of of rescue, rehab, and release even if it takes years is always worth it. Aquariums help save wildlife! As a rehabber myself this story brought tears to my eyes and reminded me why our work is so important!

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this wonderful non-fiction picture book!

"Yoshi's Big Swim" reminded me of "Elizabeth, Queen of the Seas", with a well loved animal journeying in the water out to their home. Each loving their humans and their environment, and needing to find their place to be. The art is colorful and bright, which will keep kid's attention. As well, the recurring phrase, " and she crept into her hearts" is one that brings you right back in.

This book certainly crept into my heart and it will be one I would wholeheartedly recommend to a library and parents with kids interested in the ocean.

I am glad that I was not reading that out loud to an audience because I would have been bawling. This was a fantastic story about Yoshi, from her rescue to her release, and the Two Oceans Aquarium that rehabilitated her.

I loved the Loggerhead turtle facts at the end of the book and all of the good that Two Oceans Aquarium has been able to do because Yoshi needed help 25 years ago.

In the Indian Ocean, fishermen discovered a wounded turtle, which they adopted and named her Yoshitaro. In Yoshi’s Big Swim by Mary Wagley Copp, illustrated by Kaja Kajfez (Capstone, December 2022), Yoshi’s story of healing, growing, and her final swim teach young readers not just about one loggerhead sea turtle but also about how we can love, help, and preserve these endangered creatures.


Yoshi’s story began in 1997. She was taken to an aquarium in South Africa, and there the vets helped Yoshi’s shell heal. Yoshi swam in the aquarium in South Africa for twenty years. The text repeats “and she crept into their hearts” to emphasize how everyone who cared for Yoshi or came to see her in the aquarium loved her. After twenty years aquarium vets decided to try to rehabilitate Yoshi into the wild.

I enjoyed learning about Yoshi’s story. Many people helped her succeed by first rescuing her, then healing her, and then training her for a new life back in the wild. A tracking device followed her long journey around South Africa’s horn west, back around the horn going east, through the Indian Ocean, and toward the beaches of northern Australia. We won’t know where she ultimately lives today, because the tracker on her back stopped being able to send a location signal in 2020. Given what we know about loggerhead sea turtles, it is very likely that Yoshi found her own birth beach and is now continuing the turtle life cycle, and she now will lay her own eggs.

As I read the story, I thought of how well it would fit into a unit about sea turtles. Not only that but any animal lover or child interested in sea life would enjoy hearing about Yoshi’s story.

I received a digital copy for review consideration.

Yoshi's Big Swim made me cry. I am a softie but this was especially cute. The art style was wonderful and I just really love a kid's book version of a true story. I could read a whole fictional series about Yoshi's Adventures if anyone ever decided to write it.

I thought this book was straightforward and informative and perfect for a young reader audience. It clearly told the story of Yoshi's journey and I appreciated the author's gentle lean into 'heart'. I think it is important, not just as a 'hook', that we acknowledge that we, as humans, can love the animals of the world, and of course those in our care - and still be scientific. I believe this story will spark an appreciation for the wonders of the sea turtles, and especially Yoshi. And as a former educator, I believe this story offers wonderful jumping off points for further curriculum studies.

Thank you NetGalley and Capstone, Capstone Editions for accepting my request to read and review Yoshi's Big Swim.

Author: Mary Wagley Copp
Published: 01/01/23
Genre: Children's Nonfiction -- Outdoors & Nature

A nonfiction story of a turtle injured and cared for, being tagged and sent back to it's natural habitat. I loved this story. While I love science, I've always hated the tagging. Yoshi's tag made filled my heart. I loved that scientists are able to keep their adoring eyes on this turtle.

The story and illustrations work seamlessly together.

I would gift this and I would purchase as a coffee table or by the phone table book.

I liked the story, but didn't love the execution. I kept losing interest while reading. The illustrations are colorful. I loved that Yoshi eventually is free and takes a journey 22,000 miles away back to her home. I enjoyed the Loggerhead Turtle facts and pictures at the end as well.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. All thoughts are my own.

The tale of Yoshi was cute and interesting as it gave a good insight on how zoos/aquariums rehabilitate turtles and other animals and then are able to track them and learn more about their kind. The illustrations were beautiful! the writing felt it waxed and waned between young enough for the target reader but then also too old for the target reader at points. It didn’t feel consistent with the writing but the story is still sweet. Also loved the facts about the turtles when the story was over!

This was an enchanting story! I know lots of little kids who love the ocean and it's inhabitants who would love to read about Yoshi!

A sweet, true story about an injured loggerhead turtle, her road to recovery, and her journey home. I appreciated the story and illustrations and the heart behind the story!

Thanks to Netgalley for providing a digital copy in exchange for an honest review!

Yoshi's Big Swim
by Mary Wagley Copp

This is a true story is a very young loggerhead turtle found with a gash in her shell. She ends up at a large aquarium to rehab although they had never rehabilitated a turtle before. Yoshi is the turtle's name and everyone falls in love with her.

She grows up there for 20 years. Then there comes a time when she wants to leave. The people then start training Yoshi to catch food by herself and strength training for long distance swimming. Then they put a tracker on her. When they release Yoshi. She travels for 2 years, 22,000 miles, before she decides she is home.

The story is told in a simple but sweet way that is endearing and loving. The artwork, to me, is way too harsh and doesn't match the soft words. A gentler, more watercolor look would have been better in my opinion. The animal pictures were fairly nice but the people pictures were odd. That is why I gave it 4 instead of 5 stars.

Beautiful

Yoshi is a loggerhead turtle that was rescued by Japanese fisherman in the Indian ocean in 1997 with a big gash in her shell. She was brought to an aquarium in South Africa, where she stayed for twenty years and was finally released back into the wild after that.

I very much enjoyed this positive story and the illustrations that go with it. It has some learning points for kids and is quite inspirational. A truly lovely book.