Turtle in Paradise

Turtle in Paradise

Bibliography

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

Plot Summary

Turtle has to stay with her relatives in the Key West during the Great Depression, because her mother takes a housekeeping job where it is a no-children-allowed zone. Surrounded by her family, locals, and hidden family stories, she discovers so much and begins to feel a real sense of belonging in an unexpected place.

Audiobook Evaluation

Reading/enjoying this book through an audiobook, via Audible, was a great experience. The book is narrated by Bahni Turpin, an adult female voice actor. The audiobook is just a single narrator, but Turpin tells the story by changing voices to help the readers recognize which characters are speaking, without being to distracted by it.

The sound quality was great, as it is an Audible book. There are no sound effects at all in this, so it does not distract from the single narration. It is not hard to follow along at all. It was all very smooth and seemed to flow really well throughout the almost 4 hour listen.

Critical Analysis

Jennifer L. Holm does a fantastic job mixing humor with historical detail, allowing children to get a taste of what the Great Depression might have been like. Being set in the Key West, it brings a bit more familiarity and authenticity for students as cultural references, economic realities, and community routines are heavily prevalent in this story. Turtle, the main character, can be very relatable to young readers as well with her practical, yet funny personality. 

Review Excerpt

Starred Review from CCBC: “Jennifer L. Holm richly depicts personalities and setting in a novel that, she explains in an author’s note white photos, is inspired by her own family’s history.”

Connections

This book would work great in units over the Great Depression. Students can look at it as more of an insight on how times were for children their age during this historical moment. This can also be used greatly to discuss character development. Turtle goes through a lot of changes throughout this story. Having students track and discuss every tiny event that occurs in Turtle’s life can help students understand how a character can develop in a story. This can extend into conversations about belonging, resilience, and growing up during difficult times.

ISBN: 9780375836909 

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