Mystery of the Lazy Loggerhead: Brazil 2

By Lisa Travis and Adam Turner

Welcome to Brazil!

Sofia and Júlia visit the coast of Brazil. It’s fun in the sun until they notice mysterious markings in the golden sands. Someone or something is after the loggerhead sea turtles. But why? It’s up to Sofia and Júlia to uncover the truth before it’s too late.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WorldTrek Publishing
• Release date: Jan 15, 2017
• ISBN: 9781936376308

Book preview

Chapter 1

Sunrise

What’s that? Sofia Diaz asked.

Onde? Her Brazilian friend, Júlia Santos, scanned the edge of the beach. She squinted from the early morning rays of the sun. A few seagulls floated by on their morning beach patrol. They squawked at the girls. Where? I don’t see anything?

It’s moving. Sofia kicked her new Havaianas off her tan feet. She made sure to pick them up. They were only the most famous flip flops in the world. She did NOT want to lose them. Sandals safely in hand, she dashed down the beach. The familiar smell of the salt air filled her lungs. The sand kicked up behind her speedy feet.

Wait— Júlia sprinted to keep up with her.

Yuck! Gobs of dark green seaweed squished between Sofia’s toes. She looked ahead to find the spots with the least seaweed. Then she hopscotched her way through. I hate seaweed. She scowled.

I did not know gym girls could . . . run so fast, Júlia panted. She bent over to catch her breath. Long strands of dark brown hair fell out of the clip holding it back. I thought you just did flips and cartwheels.

Yeah, but I’m a bear too, remember? Sofia put her arms up and growled softly. Bears can run fast! Her mom had told her she’d cried so loud when she was born she’d scared all the nurses. They started calling her the bear. Sofie-Bear. She still liked that nickname. It gave her speed when she wanted it. And courage when she needed it.

Sofia stopped a few yards away and pointed. It’s a sea turtle. See her giant head and big jaws? And the reddish-brown and yellow color of her shell? I think she’s a loggerhead.

Júlia’s dark brown eyes opened wide. Uma tartaruga marinha? A sea turtle? She lived on the edge of the Amazon rainforest in Manaus. So she’d seen lots of animals. Sloths, pink dolphins, monkeys, snakes, poison dart frogs. You name it. She’d seen it. She’d sworn she’d even seen a jaguar run through the bushes beside her once. But she’d never come face-to-face with a sea turtle. She wondered how similar they were to the river turtles she’d seen.

The sea turtle pulled herself slowly along the edge of the water with her flippers. It looked like she dragged a heavy checkered stone on her back. How hard must that be with only flippers?

Yeah, a sea turtle. And definitely a loggerhead. Sofia shadowed the turtle.

How do you know she is, how do you say, logger—head? Júlia asked.

I know a little about sea turtles. My grandparents in Florida live near a sea turtle rescue place. I go there every time we visit. I’ve seen loads of loggerheads there. And she looks the same. I didn’t know they had loggerheads in Brazil though. She kept trailing the turtle. She seems slow, Sofia observed.

"Turtles are all slow, no?" Júlia giggled. Her brown eyes sparkled. Her light brown skin glowed in the sun.

Sofia spun around and smiled. Yesssss. But she seems really, really slow. They are usually all gone by morning. I hope she’s not sick. She shook her head. Strange, she murmured.

Júlia shrugged her shoulders. "Preguiçoso? Maybe she is lazy?"

We should follow her and see what she does, Sofia said.

"Sim. Yes. But we should stay far away from her. So we don’t scare her. That is the right thing to do." Júlia had her sights set on being an Amazon ranger when she grew up. She knew leaving animals alone was always best.

The girls followed the lazy loggerhead.

They walked farther away from the white lighthouse that overlooked the beach. Palm trees lined the shore as far as their eyes could