Turtle in Paradise


Turtle in Paradise is a 2010 children's novel written by Jennifer L. Holm. The book is a 2011 Newbery Honor Book and also won the Golden Kite Award. The main character, Turtle, is eleven years old and lives in Key West, Florida during the Great Depression.

Plot

Turtle Curry is an eleven-year-old girl living with her mother Jakie and cat named Smokey in Japan, who is upset that her mother's new employer refuses to let Turtle and her cat stay in her house. Turtle says goodbye and enters the front seat of Mr. Lyle Edgit, a family friend and a merchant. When Turtle arrives in Key West, her Aunt Minerva "Minnie" is confused because she didn't receive a letter about Turtle coming to live with her. Aunt Minnie introduces her to their three cousins: Beans, Kermit, and Buddy. Aunt Minnie forces Beans to share his room with Turtle, but he becomes irritated and resentful of his cousin.
The boys and their friends, Pork Chop, Jelly and Ira, are called 'The Diaper Gang' as they care for the babies in their town, using a 'secret recipe' to cure diaper rash. Turtle begins to grow accustomed to her new surroundings and its people. She later finds out her grandmother is still alive, but she dislikes the people living in Key West and the people dislike her. Turtle does her best to win her grandmother's love and succeeds.
As the summer begins to draw to a close, Turtle and the boys hear rumors that they are dating, Turtle and the gang set to find the person who spread that rumor, but are caught off guard when a hurricane hits the Keys and they are forced to take shelter in a shack. Once the hurricane passes, they take their discovered loot and head home where Turtle finds her mother and Archie Meeks, a cunning conman, are waiting for them. Sharing the treasure they found and dreaming of a new life, Turtle and her mother set off to go back to New Jersey, but only to discover that Archie has stolen the treasure and has headed off to Cuba. Despite this setback, Turtle comes to believe that she and her family will still find happiness in paradise.

Back Cover Summary

Life's nothing like the movies, and Turtle knows enough not to expect a Hollywood ending. After all, it's 1935, the Depression. Jobs, money, and sometimes even dreams are scarce. So when Turtle is sent off to Key West, Florida, to live with relatives she's never met, she doesn't even shed a tear. Florida's hot and strange, full of ragtag boy cousins, family secrets, and even buried treasure! Before she knows what's happened, Turtle comes out of the shell she's spent her life building, and discovers a world that's more exciting than any Hollywood blockbuster.

Description

Turtle in Paradise is a small format book measuring 5.2 x 0.5 x 7.6 inches. This small book is for children ages 9 to 12 years. The grade level for this book is 3 to 7. The Lexile for this book is 610L. The sales rank 96,734 in 6 months

Reception

Reed Elsevier in Publishers Weekly in 2010 states "Turtle, the witty 11-year-old narrator of this standout historical novel, is a straight shooter. 'Everyone thinks children are sweet as Necco Wafers, but I've lived long enough to know the truth: kids are rotten.' When her romantic and unrealistic mother, who's always falling in and out of love, gets a housekeeping job that won't allow children, she sends Turtle to her estranged family in Depression-era Key West" According to Horn Book Magazine, "It's 1935, and narrator Turtle is sent to live in Key West. With her stoic nature and quick wits, she's able to fit in with her boy cousins. Turtle's voice is tart and world-weary. Though her narrative is peppered with references from the time, modern-day readers will have no trouble relating, and the fast-moving plot will keep them interested to the end."