**Please note: The following book review has been completed as part of coursework at Texas Woman's University.
1. Bibliography
Holm, Jennifer L. 2010. Turtle in Paradise. New York: Random House. ISBN 9780375836886
2. Plot Summary
At the height of the Great Depression in 1935, eleven-year-old Turtle has been shipped off to live with her aunt and cousins in Key West, Florida, while her mother, the dreamer, takes a job as a housekeeper for a lady who doesn't like kids. Turtle spends the days with her Conch cousins who are part of a group called the Diaper Gang who run a baby-sitting business. When Turtle discovers a treasure map and gold coin, the group goes in search of the buried treasure but gets stranded when their boat is taken and trapped in a shack overnight while riding out a hurricane. When Turtle's mother shows up in Key West with her fiancee, Archie, Turtle believes that Hollywood endings might actually be real, but when Archie makes a quick getaway, Turtle and her mama are left to begin their new life in Key West surrounded by the ones who truly love them.
3. Critical Analysis
The characters are typical Conch children of Key West, roaming the city without any shoes. They care little for money and work for candy and have given each other witty nicknames, such as Beans and Too Bad, a tradition in Key West. The difficulty of the Great Depression is revealed through Turtle's Mama's struggle to find decent work as well as the emphasis on the scarcity of food and material things. The author subtly introduces a character named Papa, and readers who are familiar with Ernest Hemingway will identify this character as the great Key West resident and famous writer. Readers not familiar with the Conch people or the Great Depression might struggle to understand the historical parts of this novel, but the author's note at the back as well as reference websites will give the reader opportunities to learn more about the Conch people and this time in American history. The author incorporates other historical figures and events of the time such as Shirley Temple, Amelia Earhart, and the Labor Day Hurricane. Likewise, Turtle's continued references to comic strips such as Little Orphan Annie and Terry and the Pirates help readers place the story in its proper time period. Plot events are realistic to the time period. For instance, according to the author's note, a popular past time in the Keys is searching for pirate booty. Likewise, many families during this time in history were separated by parents searching for work while children lived with relatives. The universal theme of the importance of family is revealed in the resolution. Turtle's mother, estranged from her own mother, has always been searching for true love, yet she doesn't find it until she finally goes home to Key West. Overall, the author has created a fictional, yet historical novel based on her own grandmother's life growing up in a Conch family in Key West. The story is entertaining and believable because of how the author beautifully blends fact with fiction.
4. Review Excerpts
2011 Newbery Honor book
ALA Notable book
Booklist Editor's Choice
A Kirkus Reviews Best Children's Book of 2010
New York Times Bestseller
-Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review: "Sweet, funny and superb."
-Booklist, Starred Review: "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."
5. Connections
Readers might want to learn more about the Great Depression after reading this book. The following books are excellent resources for children:
Friedrich, Elizabeth. Leah's Pony. Illustrated by Michael Garland. ISBN 1563978288
Freedman, Russell. Children of the Great Depression. ISBN 0547480350
Hopkinson, Deborah. Saving Strawberry Farm. ISBN 0688174000
Older readers will enjoy another classic historical fiction novel Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis (ISBN 0553494104) or Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse (ISBN 0590371258) which deals also with the Dust Bowl.
Readers might enjoy learning more about historical figures from the book such as Shirley Temple and Ernest Hemingway. Click here to find more research links that relate to the novel.
This website takes readers on a walking tour of Key West through pictures of places found in the novel. Walking Tour of Key West
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