Turtle in Paradise

By Jennifer Holm

Holm, Jennifer L. 2010. Turtle in Paradise. NY, NY: Random House Children’s Books. ISBN:978-0-375-93688-3

PLOT SUMMARY:

Turtle is a young girl living with her Momma.  Momma is a housekeeper. Momma and Turtle don’t last long in any one place because Turtle has trouble with all the other children.  Momma gets hired by Mrs. Budnick who does not like children, so Momma sends Turtle down to Key West to live with her Aunt Minerva.  When Turtle arrives in Key West, her Aunt is surprised to see her.  Minerva never received her sister’s letter saying Turtle was coming.  At first it is all very odd for Turtle but after a while she really begins to like Key West.

CRITCAL ANALYSIS:

Turtle has a rough life moving around with Momma from job to job.  Turtle does not trust anyone and she particularly dislikes children.  The setting begins in New Jersey then moves to Key West.  The description of New Jersey is vague and the reader does not know they were until they arrive in Key West. Key West is vividly described so that the reader can picture what it looked like when Turtle arrived there.  Key West does not seem to be an overly beautiful place but Turtle loves the green peeking out everywhere.  The people of Key West are like the area, quirky and different, which seems to put Turtle more at ease.  She relaxes and finally begins to open up. 

The author’s style changes throughout the story to match the settings.  When the story begins in New Jersey she talks like a typical New Jersey resident would and as she moves down south, the southern drawl is added in.

CONNECTIONS:

*In this story we can look at geography, the route of Turtle’s trip can be traced on a map from New Jersey to Key West.

*Maps of Key West from 1953 when the story takes place can be compared to maps of today.  The reader can gain a perspective of how different the area was back then.

REVIEWS:

Eleven-year-old Turtle is not one to suffer fools gladly. And she runs into a lot of fools, especially the no-goods her starry-eyed mother meets. So it's a tough little Turtle who arrives in Key West in June of 1935. ~ Booklist