BIBLIOGRAPHY
PLOT SUMMARY
Due to her mother’s working conditions, Turtle is sent to
live with an aunt in Key West, Florida. Unexpected and unwanted, Turtle turns
her miserable new existence into a rewarding experience; from hanging around
the obnoxious boys to finding a side job to being the hero and gaining full
acceptance. Turtle’s life changes completely in just one summer spent with
family she’s never met before.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Turtle in Paradise
is full of realistic characters—partly because they are based on real people.
The children in the book are ordinary kids. Turtle’s main goal is to survive a
summer without her mama and with the insufferable boys from Key West. Although
she knows she is not wanted, Turtle tries to fit in. She quickly learns about the mischievous boys
and how they operate: swapping babysitting for candy; cheating the ice cream
man out of treats; pranking neighbors without getting caught. These kids idealize youth of their day by
working and working the system.
The plot, somewhat based on the author’s family experience,
does not overload the reader with historical particulars. Holm embeds political
thoughts through character dialog such as suggestions for the President.
Children will understand the hardships the characters face through the example
of the Diaper Gang working for candy rather than cash. Turtle’s Uncle Vernon is
gone most of the book working on a construction project in another town—a
common scenario in this era.
Along with historically accurate information, Holm subtly
includes plot twists that brighten up the book and intrigue the reader. Two
examples include the inference that can be made about who Turtle’s real father is
and the true identity of the writer in the café. These and other twists
surprise the reader, encouraging them to continue reading.
The setting is a crucial element of the story. During the
Great Depression, Key West tried to build itself up as a tourist area. The
description of the run-down homes and muddy roads allows readers to picture
what Turtle sees. An interesting aspect of the setting is that this area
attempted to rebuild itself, which illustrates how the depression affected the
area. However, the setting is not Wall Street or New York or even a major city
which are the settings of many stories during the Great Depression. This
setting allows readers to see in what ways and how wide spread the depression touched
the nation.
The adults’ work (odd jobs, out-of-town work, etc.) portray
the lives of people of this time. The theme of working hard to survive trickles
down to even the children as is evidenced in the Diaper Gang. Other themes
include attempting to assimilate to a new locale as Turtle did. Turtle, the
Diaper Gang and other neighborhood kids, and even some of the adults had to
think resourcefully in order to get what they wanted. All of these themes have some relevance today.
Holm incorporates references to popular comic strips of the
time as Turtle compares herself to the likes of Shirley Temple and Orphan
Annie. The language Holm uses is reflective of the people, time period, and
location: “fellas”, “Conch”, “swell lot of gold”. Holm also includes a note to
readers at the beginning differentiating between the shell “conch” and the
people “Conch”.
The story of Turtle is inspired on the author’s great-grandmother’s
stories and real people. The story, the people, and the black and white
photographs included at the end could be enough proof of authenticity. However,
to her credit, Holms goes a step further and researches the Labor Day
Hurricane, Great Depression resources, and websites about Key West’s history.
AWARDS AND REVIEWS
John Newbery Medal, 2011
Golden Kite Award, 2011
Smithsonian Notable Book for Children, 2010
Notable Children's Books, 2011
“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.”
—Booklist, April
2010, starred review
“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.”
—Kirkus Review, April
2010
CONNECTIONS
Comic Strip
Turtle alludes to several popular comic strips of the day.
Create your own comic strip to sketch out your favorite part of the book.
Key West Travelers
Key West, FL is currently a popular tourist destination.
Research some of the attractions and create a travel brochure that will
convince readers to vacation here.
Letters Home to Mama
Divide the book up into sections: when Turtle first arrives,
after her first few days in town, after several weeks in town, and right around
the time of the Labor Day Hurricane. Write a letter from Turtle to her mama
expressing how she felt about at that point about her time in Key West.
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