Not Alone: Omeya’s Story by Joanne Lecuyer
Review by Angie Carlson
Not Alone: Omeya’s Story, written by Joanne Lecuyer and illustrated by Christina Clemis, is a heartwarming story about a brave sea turtle mama on a mission to safely reach Blue Lagoon beach and lay her eggs. But when a raging storm above jostles the sea below, Omeya’s flippers become injured, and reaching her destination seems impossible.
As calmer waves assist her to shore, Omeya is faced with the hard truth that her injuries will prevent her from getting across the beach in time to lay her eggs…on her own, that is. The theme of the story begins to emerge in that when we have help, we can do anything.
One by one, a colorful cast of creatures, including a starfish, toucan, monkey, and boar, rally together to help Omeya reach her nesting spot. Reminiscent of Whale Gets Stuck by Karen Hayles, Not Alone: Omeya’s Story builds momentum with every new character and each solution tried (and failed). In the end, resilience, friendship, and heart win out, and kids learn that helping others is both fulfilling and worthwhile.
Vibrant and well-researched illustrations bring the book to life as smart character dialogue carries the action to the final destination — hatched baby sea turtles making the trek back into the ocean.
The book wraps up with a nonfiction recap about green sea turtles, presenting a life cycle graphic and fun facts that offer a rich learning opportunity for young readers. A thoughtful blend of story and science, educators and parents will appreciate the dual value this book offers: a meaningful moral about giving and receiving help with a natural springboard into life science topics of tropical wildlife.
The powerful lesson worth noting is that sometimes in life, we are the ones who will need help, and other times, we are the ones who should offer it.
Not Alone: Omeya’s Story reminds us that with empathy, cooperation, and heart, anything is possible. Because truly, we are never alone when we have each other.
This book is published in Canada by Topsy Books in both print and ebook formats.
