Author: Jennifer L. Holm
Summary: Set in 1935, Turtle in Paradise is about a young girl who is sent to live with her Aunt Minnie in impoverished Key West, Florida. The story picks up at the "height of the Depression," which has left most of the island's inhabitants on "public relief." Aunt Minnie isn't expecting Turtle and neither are Turtle's three cousins, Kermit, Beans, and Buddy. Kermit and Buddy welcome Turtle, but Beans is a little less inviting.The boys are part of the Diaper Gang, a group of boys who babysit babies for candy, and although no girls are allowed, Kermit convinces them to let Turtle tag along. The Diaper Gang quickly teaches Turtle about Key West and its residents, most of which are Turtle's family - even a grandmother Turtle was told had died years before. At her grandmother's house, Turtle finds a map to hidden pirate gold on an island nearby. She shares it with the Diaper Gang. They borrow a boat (without telling anyone) to go look for the gold, but one of the boys forgets to throw in the anchor and the boat drifts away. The kids are stuck on a island and no one knows where they are. To make matters worse, a hurricane is coming.
Review: Turtle in Paradise is an entertaining work of historical fiction and a Newberry Honor book. Holm adds interesting facutal details of life in Key West before tourism took over, like having to shake out shoes to look for scorpions and rum running. Key West's oldest famous resident, Ernest Hemingway, even has a part. Turtle in Paradise packs several surprises and some twists the reader will likely never see coming. Aside from an elaborate prank on a few enemies of the Diaper Gang and some fights among friends, there really isn't much to object to. Readers will learn a little history while being thoroughly entertained.
Interest Level - Grades 3-6
AR Level - 3.7 (worth 4pts)
Lexile Level - 610
Profanity:
None
Potentially Inappropriate References:
None
Potentially Inappropriate Behaviors:
Two boys fighting
Pulling pranks - Boys use a rock on string to scrape across people's roofs to make the people think it's a ghost.
Taking a boat without asking
Tricking the ice cream man out of money
Parental Concern Rating: 0 out of 5
