TURTLES IN PARADISE

1.  BIBLIOGRAPHY

Holm, Jennifer. 2010. TURTLE IN PARADISE. New York, NY: Random House. ISBN  978-0-375-83688-6

2.  PLOT SUMMARY

During 1935, an eleven-year-old girl named Turtle is taken to live in the Florida Keys with her aunt’s family because Turtle’s single mother got a new job as a housekeeper for a woman who did not want children living on the property. Weary from her mother’s choices, while simultaneously concerned about her mother, Turtle begins a new life in a completely foreign setting and discovers the love and security of family, which finally provides a not-so-Hollywood-like happy ending.

3.  CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Rich with reflections of 1935 Americana, including cloth diapers, Ford Model A cars, Little Orphan Annie, and Sears mail-order houses, young Turtle must be strong for her mother. Turtle’s tough shell covers her tender heart after eleven years of living with her butterfly-like mother who makes poor choices in the name of romance. Moving alone to the relatives’ place in Key West, Turtle describes Key West as: “the place looks like a broken chair that’s been left out in the sun to rot.” Turtle’s additional distain for Shirley Temple reflects the cynicism that took root in her heart from constant disappointments. Slowly, the companionship of her rascally cousins and the care of her aunt and uncle, Turtle finally experiences being a vital part of a family in which she can be a child.

Holm weaves stories passed down from her own relatives who lived in Key West during the Great Depression. The author tells the story from Turtle’s point of view and employs dialogue as a primary device to communicate the relationships. The antics of the Diaper Gang along with the extended relationships in Key West create a sense of small town community. Children will relate to the sense of mischief in the barefoot Diaper Gang and Turtle’s desire to included and loved. Children from single parent homes may also relate to the protective shell Turtle had to build to protect her heart from further hurt. The author’s style includes unexpected twists that keep the reader engaged to the last page. Though the story is historical fiction, it is based upon real characters during a real time period in history. Author’s notes and photos are included and informative and fascinating.

4.  REVIEW EXCERPTS & AWARDS

Newbery Medal/Honor Award, January 2011

Children’s Choices for 2011

Teachers Choice 2011

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, May 2010: “Two-time Newbery Honor author Holm again rafts a winning heroine who, despite her hardened exterior, gradually warms to her eccentric family members, including her unruly cousins and waspish grandmother.”

HORN BOOK, May/June 2010: “The episodic novel includes details, events, and figures from history, and Turtle’s narrative is peppered with references from the time...”

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL, April 2010: “This richly detailed novel was inspired by Holm’s great-grandmother’s stories.”

5.  CONNECTIONS

Create a Venn diagram and compare and contrast the cultural markers of America in 1935 to some of the cultural markers of our day. (Example: paper dolls and marbles vs. computer games and X-Box) Discuss some of the positives and negatives of changes. Discuss aspects of life that have not changed. (Example: hurricanes still endanger lives, people still need family, etc.)

Internet Research Extension Topics:

1935 Florida Keys Hurricane

The Great Depression

Comics of the Great Depression Era

History of Paper Dolls

“The Shadow” Radio Show

Sears Mail-Order Houses

President Roosevelt

Necco Wafers

Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers

Shirley Temple