Turtle in Paradise

When you teach dyslexic students, it is very hard to find books that match both their maturity and interest levels as well as their reading level. It is especially hard to find Middle Reader books that are interesting, funny and engaging for an older reader. So when you find one that is an appropriate story for younger readers as well as an engaging story for older readers, it is time to do a little dance of happiness! I did just such a dance after reading Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer L. Holm! It is 1935, and Turtle's mom got a job as a housekeeper for a woman who wouldn't let Turtle and her cat live with them, so she and Smokey were sent to Key West to live with her mother's sister. While there, Turtle has to quickly adapt to island life, from checking your shoes for scorpions to the odd nicknames everyone seems to have. Her mischievous cousins, Kermit, Beans, and Buddy, spice up the story with their antics. Beans and a few other local kids have started the Diaper Gang, who are basically roving babysitters for the Bad Babies. And their secret diaper rash formula is legendary on the island! When Turtle finds out her grandmother is really alive (even though her mother told her she was dead), she realizes there is more of her own history on this island than she could have imagined. When she finds a treasure map to a hidden pirate's treasure, she takes the gang along with her on an adventure that changes them and the island in more ways that one. This is the kind of story that has you giggling out loud and loving every page. It is a short enough story so as not to be too overwhelming for beginning readers. The writing is perfect for higher skilled elementary students to low-skilled middle school students, but even high school students would get a kick out of these kids and their goofiness. I know I did! The fact that it is based on the author's grandmother and her life in Key West makes the story even more interesting. At the end of the book, there are a few pages where the author explains which parts of the story are based on real situations. She even includes pictures of places and people mentioned in the story! This is a cute little book that spans a great spectrum of interest. Give it a shot! It is a great beach read that you can finish in a sitting!

I like to read good books for any age level. Books like these, that tell a good story, are GREAT for helping people learn English. Also, this particular book is set in my hometown, and I live on one of the little streets referenced in the story. Ashe Street, a half block from the (also referenced) graveyard...where Coreys have a pretty nice family plot. The infamous scorpions seem to have pretty much disappeared--maybe the new pests, iguanas, have eaten them. The termites we still have, but buildings can be tented to stop the dry wood ones. The setting's good, the scenes are well painted. The coconut telegraph is still operating just fine.

Turtle, who is a 10-year-old girl, is sent to the Florida Keys in the 1920s to live with family she's never met, so that her mom can keep her job. At first, she struggles to fit in until she discovers a treasure map in her grandmother's rotting piano. This leads Turtle and the Diaper Gang on a thrilling adventure. I enjoyed Turtle in Paradise because it made me laugh out loud. For example, the Diaper Gang got paid in sweets and were always trying to get free ice cream. But Turtle outsmarted Beans and figured out a way to get the ice cream. Also, the character’s names, such as Slow Poke and Beans were funny. My favorite part of the book was when Turtle realized that the real treasure was her family.

This book takes place in Key West, Florida in 1935, during the Great Depression. Turtle is a ten year old girl. She and her mom, who is a live-in housekeeper, live in New Jersey with a mean rich lady that does not like kids, so her mom sent Turtle to live with her cousins, Beans, Kermit, and Buddy, and her Aunt Minnie in Key West. The story about Turtle and her family is very funny but also has some sad parts, with a bitter-sweet ending, when Turtle and her mom are reunited. I would recommend this book to friends.

We got this book for our son’s school summer reading! It has great detail and packs a lot of joy to my son! This book was based in key west and was really accurate for that time period! Great book for children and adults! -Michelle

Jennifer L. Holm has accomplished a rare feat--writing a historical fiction book with NO GUNS (gasp!) and a FEMALE PROTAGONIST (the horror!) that boys enjoyed, too. (Lots of compelling secondary boy characters and a pirate treasure/survival adventure element certainly helped.) They were staggered when I reminded them that this is the same author who wrote the Babymouse series... (What? Those... those... PINK graphic novels?!) Since my 5th grade students are mostly first-generation kids from low-income immigrant homes, they connected with this book. Family separation, relatives you never knew you had, kids as caretakers for other family members, poverty, adjusting and readjusting your dreams to fit reality, being grateful for a terrible job because it's the only one you can get. All of these elements rang true for my students. We also got to learn a little about the Great Depression--a period of history most had never studied--and about Key West--where none of them have ever been. Although they were skeptical at first, my students (both male and female) found a lot to love in this book!

This was recommended by the children's librarian at our community library. I was with a group of parents listening to him recommend books for our eager readers for over an hour. (It was so impressive how much he loved his job! He probably discussed about 50 books with us.) This review stood out from the recent Newberry Honors he reviewed. I have a 9 year old daughter and I thought this would be a great summer beach read for her about a funny group of kids in Key West. It is cute & funny ... but there is deeper stuff going on in the situation that gets the kids together on an adventure. All ages could enjoy it. It was good to find a quality story for her to read beyond the usual series she enjoys (Rick Riordan, Harry Potter, etc.). She has asked to find some of this author's other books.

I'm a 6th grader and read this book in 5th grade for school.I fell in love with it and got it on my kindle fire.It is about a girl who is about 11, that is forced to move to lower keys of Florida after her mom gets a job with a mean older lady,Ms.Budnick.Turtle is not fond of kids even though she is one.As she adjusts to her new life she becomes attached to her new home.She learns new words and way such as a bungy,cut-up,leche,and bollos.Turtle also discovers her "dead" grandmother who also dislikes kids.Turtle and her cousins also discover treasure and in the middle of finding it get stuck on an island for three days in a hurricane! This is an amazing story made up of bits and pieces of actual key west people.This is a short book and could be read in one day.It took me about 2 or 3.

The book was great!!! My daughter couldn’t stop reading it .she atleast read it 7 times . She really loved the fact that there were pictures and things about the storyat the back of the book.Hearing her excitement I too want to read the book!! She recomends reading FULL OF BEANS before TURTLE IN PARADISE .

Happy with order. Was 2 days later than expected.

Amazing book

It was book that shined like a star. It was amazing but I would have liked a ending that would be more interesting and eventful ending. But Jennifer l holm wrote a book that could not be described in words only by our feelings

Turtle is a quite unique character! Other characters like Beans and Pork chop are realistic and change a little into another personality towards the end. It has a ending which may be happy for some and a little disappointing and sudden to others. This is a book with a lot of deeper meaning. Holm has described everything aptly and has put outstanding consequences in it.