Turtle in Paradise Review by Allison Trippe

Bibliography

Holm, Jennifer L. 2010. Turtle in Paradise. New York, NY: Random House.  ISBN 9780375836909

Plot Summary

Author Jennifer Holm’s award-winning historical fiction novel, Turtle in Paradise, tells the story of a young girl, Turtle, living through the Great Depression. Turtle lives with her mother in New Jersey. Her mother cleans houses for a living in exchange for a place to live. When her mother’s latest employer won’t allow kids to live in her house, Turtle is forced to leave her mother and she is sent to live with her aunt and cousins in Key West. She soon discovers several unexpected surprises. Florida is like nothing eleven year old Turtle has ever seen before. She learns about family secrets, unearths a treasure map, and comes to understand that her idea of a home is nothing like what she had once thought.

When she arrives in Florida, Turtle meets her Aunt Minnie and hostile cousins who want nothing more than for her to go back home. As she begins to become more comfortable in her new temporary residence, she meets a grandmother she never knew existed and a mysterious boat captain she believes to be her father. Over time, her quick wit and wisdom wins her cousins over, and she is invited to join their “Diaper Gang.” When she and the gang decide to follow a treasure map, they become stranded and encounter a deadly hurricane. Will they live to bring home their buried treasure? Will Turtle and her mother be reunited? Will they ever have a home to call their own? Readers young and old will be captivated as they read Turtle’s story of adventure, mystery and suspense.

Critical Analysis

In this historical fiction novel, author Jennifer Holm creates plausible characters, universal themes, distinct style, and authentic plot. The main character in Turtle in Paradise is an eleven year old girl with realistic desires and problems. Turtle is a practical and sensible child who wants nothing more than to live in her own home with her mother. Readers will empathize with Turtle as she is confronted with many problems. Turtle must find a way to get along with the new people in her life. She often feels like her mother doesn’t listen to her insightful advice. Turtle’s problems, and how she resolves them, are easy to identify with and applicable even in the present.

Many universal themes are woven into the plot of Turtle in Paradise. Acceptance and family are two of the strongest themes. Turtle comes to accept that home is not necessarily a physical place, but where you are surrounded by the people you love. Her quest to establish her own sense of what home means leads her back to her roots where her ancestors lived for generations. Similarly, Turtle discovers what it means to be a part of a family as she develops a symbiotic relationship with other characters.

Throughout her writing, Jennifer Holm captures the thoughts and experiences of a young girl living through the Great Depression. Her writing style reflects the time period through the dialogue between characters, and the development of significant characters. She uses descriptive details to help readers visualize the setting. Holm offers a balance between real events and creative writing.

Perhaps one of the the strongest qualities of Turtle in Paradise is the authenticity with which the story is based. Holm bases her story on the lives of her own mother and relatives who, for generations, lived in Key West, Florida. Her characters and plot are crafted after real events and people. She supplements her novel with an Author’s Note that cites her primary sources of information. Here, she educates readers about her inspiration for the creation of her story. Included in the Author’s Note are actual photographs of the real people and places referenced in her book. Furthermore, a Resources page provides a record of citations, and websites that are listed for additional reading and research opportunities. It is apparent Jennifer Holm is a trusted authority in the development of this captivating historical fiction novel.

Awards & Review Excerpts

• 2010 100 Magnificent Children’s Books
• 2010 Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Award, AudioBook and Book
• 2010 Booklist Editors Choice: Books for Youth
• 2011 John Newbery Medal
• 2011 Golden Kite Award, Fiction
• 2011 Best Children's Books of the Year
• 2012 Cochecho Readers' Award

From School Library Journal: “This richly detailed novel was inspired by Holm’s great-grandmother’s stories. Readers who enjoy melodic, humorous tales of the past won’t want to miss it.”

From Kirkus 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.”

From Publishers Weekly: “Infused with period pop culture references, a strong sense of place, and the unique traditions and culture of Key West natives (aka “Conchs”), this humorous adventure effectively portrays Turtle as caught between her mother’s Hollywood-inspired dreams and the very real family and geography that offer a different kind of paradise.”

Connections

• Discuss the Great Depression, its causes, and effects.
• Pair Turtle in Paradise with nonfiction texts about the Great Depression.
• Use Google Earth to help students understand the setting of the book.
• Complete a timeline of major events from the novel.
• Discuss the entertainment references made throughout the novel by showing video clips and examples of each. This will help support readers’ understanding of the time period.
• Show students some of the websites referenced in the back of the book to build some background knowledge of the setting.
• Supplement the novel with images of vocabulary terms: conch, sponge, turtle kraals, scorpion, hurricane, rheumatic fever, dinghy, pomade.

*Created as an assignment for a Texas Woman's University course.