Historical Fiction #1

Book Review For:

Holm, Jennifer L. 2010. TURTLE IN PARADISE. 1^st ed. New York: Random House.
         ISBN 9780375836886

 

Turtle is a smart, tough cookie who is sent to live with her aunt in the Florida Keys during the depression. On top of missing her mother, everyone living there has an odd nickname, all her cousins are boys, her four-year-old cousin is always running around without his pants on, and no one wants to go near her grandmother because it’s rumored that she hates kids. Turtle, her cousins, and their friends experience a true adventure when they follow up on a lead to buried treasure. In the end, Turtle learns more than she ever thought she would about family and the ties that bind.

With names like “Beans”, “Pork-Chop”, and “The Diaper Gang”, this story is highly entertaining while including factual elements of the times as well. Families are large and often broken up when one has to go to work elsewhere to make ends barely meet, and tired, overworked mothers result in the older children taking care of the younger children. However, humor is spread liberally throughout, and kids won’t want to put this book down.

After reading this story with children, an educator could tie in a study of the Depression era, a study of real, historical pirates, a geographical study of Florida, or a cultural study of the Southeast during the depression. A fun, written activity could be assigned about a time when the children had to stay with other family members. If they didn’t have an experience like that, they could make one up.

TURTLE IN PARADISE is a 2011 Newbery Honor Book, a 2011 Texas Bluebonnet Book, a New York Times Bestseller, an ALA Notable Book, a Booklist Editor’s Choice Book, a Kirkus Reviews Best Children’s Book of 2010, and a Spring 2010 Junior Library Guild Selection Book (“Turtle in Paradise”, n.d.). Also, the Kirkus Reviews labeled it as “Sweet, funny and superb” and the Booklist described it as “…a hilarious blend of family dramas seasoned with a dollop of adventure (“Turtle in Paradise”, n.d.).”

 

References

 

“Turtle in Paradise.” Jennifer L. Holm, Author, Accessed November 12, 2013,

        http://www.jenniferholm.com/p/novels.html