Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer L. Holm

Turtle in Paradise

Bibliography

Holm, Jennifer L. Turtle in paradise. New York: Yearling Newbery, 2016. Print. ISBN 0375836888

Plot Summary

Turtle is sent off to Key West to spend time with her mother’s relatives. Her mother has gotten a job as a housekeeper, but her boss does not like children so Turtle must spend some time elsewhere. Turtle has not had a good experience with children for when her mother was a housekeeper for other wealthy families the children lied and got Turtle’s mother fired. When she gets to Key West she meets her cousin Beans, Kermit, Buddy, and her aunt Minnie. She joins their Diaper Gang taking care of the neighborhood babies in return for candy and other unexpected adventures. 

Critical Analysis

Jennifer Holm’s book Turtle in Paradise takes place during the Great Depression in 1935. Turtle an 11 year old girl is the main character and one can see how she acts beyond her years adapting to her new life. Jobs are scarce and Turtle’s mother acquires a job as a housekeeper with a lady that dislikes children. In result, Turtle is shipped off to Key West to live with relatives. Holm’s includes real life events though describing how the Great Depression affected families. Turtle’s mom cannot take the leisure to look for another job, Aunt Minnie is tight on money too, and the mothers in Key West are paying with candy just to get some help with fussy babies. One can see how it was a tough time for people would even trade favors for food. This historical fiction as well shows how this era affected adults and children. Even though, that did not stop Turtle and her cousins from making the best of it, such as hunting for treasure.

The book includes an author’s note that gives credit to the real life events she integrated in the story. The story mentions how the hurricane that occurred in Key West, Florida in the story did occur and how much it affected the area. The author’s note also includes pictures of the Curry Lane, people that gave life to the characters in the story, and the area of Key West during this time. These pictures give a visual for readers to understand the living conditions during the Great Depression. The author also notes that she has family ties to the Curry’s.

Review Excerpts

• Review in KIRKUS: Holm’s voice for Turtle is winning and authentic—that of a practical, clear-eyed observer—and her nimble way with dialogue creates laugh-out-loud moments.
• Review in PUBLISHERSWEEKLY: “…This humorous adventure effectively portrays Turtle as caught between her mother’s Hollywood-inspired dreams and the very real family and geography that offer a different kind of paradise.”
•  Newbery Honor (2011)
• Rebecca Caudill Young Reader's Book Award Nominee (2013)
• Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award Nominee (2012)

Connections

This book can be used to discuss the effects of the Great Depression. Chapters can be divided into groups and write a summary along with illustrations to present to class. Other books with similar to this:

Draper, Sharon. Out of My Mind. ISBN 141697170X

Williams-Garcia, Rita. One Crazy Summer