Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer L. Holm

1.  BIBLIOGRAPHY

Holm, Jennifer L.  2010.  TURTLE IN PARADISE.  New York: Random House.  ISBN  9780375836886

2.  PLOT SUMMARY

Eleven-year-old Turtle is shipped off to Key West, Florida to stay with her estranged Aunt Minnie  since her mother's latest housekeeping job won't allow children.  She spends much of her time with her boy cousins who belong to "The Diaper Gang," a group that babysits colicky babies in exchange for sweet candy.  As Turtle adjusts to life in Key West, she learns more about her family and the surrounding community's unique way of life.  After finding a treasure map in her grandmother's termite-ridden piano, Turtle and the Diaper Gang go on an adventure to a nearby island to locate Black Caesar's treasure. However, a sudden storm leaves the group stranded for two whole days.  Luckily, while waiting for help to arrive, the group finds a loot worth over twenty thousand dollars!   After their safe return to Key West, Turtle's mother arrives with a brand new husband in tow.  This sets up an unexpected plot twist that makes Turtle and her family realize what is truly valuable in life.

3.  CRITICAL ANALYSIS

This funny and witty historical novel is brought to life by Jennifer Holm's wonderful cast of well-developed characters.  The story is told in first person narrative through the eyes of eleven-year-old Turtle.  With her quick wit and sharp humor, readers will find themselves laughing as she candidly speaks her mind and provides her own insight on people's motivations and how the world works.  Her cousins Beans, Buddy, and Kermit are just as memorable.  Beans can match Turtle's quick wit with his own biting, sarcastic humor; four-year-old Buddy doesn't like to keep his clothes on for long; and stubborn Kermit refuses to let a heart condition keep him out of the Diaper Gang's babysitting adventures.  Readers are able to identify with these authentic characters because they accurately portray the ideas, opinions, behaviors, and habits of children who lived during the Great Depression.  For example, the Diaper Gang accepts candy as payment for their babysitting services since money is so scarce.  They also sing and dance to Shirley Temple songs, listen intently to the old-time radio show "The Shadow," and read about the comic book adventures of Terry and the Pirates.  These details not only remind readers of the story's historical time period, but also give credibility to the activities the characters engage in.  

This humorous story is set in 1935 during the Great Depression.  When Turtle first arrives, she gives a vivid description of what she sees on the streets of her new Florida home.  She describes "the houses are small and narrow, lined up close together, and most haven't been painted in a long time...Twining vines, strange-umbrella-type trees with bright orangey-red blossoms, bushes with pink flowers, and palm trees."  This not only provides details of her family's home on Curry Lane, but reveals to readers to effect the Great Depression had on the Key West community.  The story's historical details are further enriched with mention of actual sites such as the Plaza Restaurant, the Cuban Club, and the Colonial Hotel, which add another element of authenticity to the story.  As characters interact among these historical location, the plot is enriched with details of the unique customs and traditions of Key West residents.  For example, Turtle and her cousins hunt for black sponges in the ocean, eat fried balls of dough called bollos, and eat turtle soup for dinner.  These factual portrayals of the settings, culture, and customs found in Key West add to the authenticity of this historical novel.

Although the story occurs in a different time period, the importance of love and family are brought to light during the story's climax.  After the children find themselves stranded on an island in search of Black Caesar's treasure, a dangerous storm develops and the children must take cover.  To keep her young cousins from crying, Turtle sings a Shirley Temple song while holding their hands and calmly reassures them that help is on the way.  The importance of family is also emphasized after the children return with a treasure loot worth over twenty thousand dollars.  When Turtle's mother's greedy new husband steals her half of the treasure, her family comes to the rescue and offers to give them a place to stay on Curry Lane.  Turtle thoughtfully reflects on the value of family as she says "Maybe the real treasure has been right here on Curry Lane the whole time- people who love Mama and me.  A home."

An "Author's Note" provides more insight on the unique traditions and customs of Key West, such as the use of humorous nicknames.  Although Holm does not specifically state that any research was done while developing the story, she does cite that many of the details came from her family's recollections of living in the Key West community.  Photographs of real Key West residents and local restaurants serve to verify the historical details found in the text.  A list of books and websites is also provided for further reading. 

4.  REVIEWS

2011 Newbery Honor Book

BOOKLIST:  "Turtle is just the right mixture of knowingness and hope; the plot is a hilarious blend of family dramas seasoned with a dollop of adventure. The many references to 1930s entertainments (Terry and the Pirates, Shirley Temple) will mostly go over kids’ heads, but they’ll get how much comics and movies meant to a population desperate for smiles."

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. Sweet, funny and superb."

PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY: " Infused with period pop culture references, a strong sense of place, and the unique traditions and culture of Key West natives, 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."

5.  CONNECTIONS

-Have students learn more about the Great Depression by reading other books:

Freedman, Russell.  CHILDREN OF THE GREAT DEPRESSION.  ISBN  0618446303
KidCaps.  THE GREAT DEPRESSION: A HISTORY JUST FOR KIDS.  ISBN  1478391618

-Have students watch clips of Shirley Temple or listen to an episode of The Shadow (depending on age and grade level) so they can understand the type of entertainment kids had during the 1930s time period:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLLSqpYyPD8

http://archive.org/details/TheShadow_29