Turtle in Paradise in Around the World in 80 Books

Oct 19, 2017 Astrid Lim rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: america, children, adventures, newbery, historical-fiction, second-hand, lovely-heroine

I like the story, the setting of Key West Florida in 1930s, the crazy characters including the witty but lovable Turtle. Everything about this book feels just right - but unfortunately a bit too short, so I feel the ending is a bit of a rush and I'm still longing to hear more about Turtle's story. But it deserves the Newbery, though! :) ...more

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Mar 16, 2021 Linda Martin rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: adventure, fiction, middle-grade, families, 2021, geo-florida, newbery-honor-books, cats, historical-fiction

During the depression of the 1930's a young girl must go live with her aunt and cousins in Key West, Florida while her mother is working as a live-in housekeeper for a woman who doesn't want children there. The girl, whose nickname is Turtle, arrives as a complete stranger on her aunt's front porch.

There were elements of this book that I didn't like. It started in the first paragraph where the author declares, "The only difference between grown-ups and kids is that grown-ups go to jail for murde During the depression of the 1930's a young girl must go live with her aunt and cousins in Key West, Florida while her mother is working as a live-in housekeeper for a woman who doesn't want children there. The girl, whose nickname is Turtle, arrives as a complete stranger on her aunt's front porch.

There were elements of this book that I didn't like. It started in the first paragraph where the author declares, "The only difference between grown-ups and kids is that grown-ups go to jail for murder. Kids get away with it." Wow. That's not a message I'd want to give to the children I know. Maybe I take things too seriously but then so do some children.

I wish I could say that's the only thing I didn't like but the author's premise in chapter one is that children are rotten. In fact, that's the title of the chapter. "Rotten Kids." And chapter six starts out with the words, "Kids lie." I'm sure they occasionally do but let's not focus on that. I wouldn't want to encourage it as normal behavior.

She also writes that a gang of boys (think, around 10 years old more or less) is entrusted with the care of multiple babies each day. I have a hard time believing that mothers would allow 10 year old boys to take off with their infants in their wagon. That's like saying mothers are inherently neglectful. Let's say I could not suspend my disbelief.

On page 75 they go into a house and desert one of the babies alone in the wagon. I was cringing, wondering if this book would end with a baby dying and the boys having to deal with the emotional fallout. (It didn't end that way, thank goodness!)

There were good parts to this book but with all the things I didn't like about it, I'd rather give children something different to read. The book was a Newbery Honor Book in 2011. This goes to show that we shouldn't allow the Newbery committee to choose books for our kids. Parents should review the books first.

I read this book as part of Middle Grade March on Booktube, and also for the Newbery Variety Challenge here on Goodreads. ...more

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Aug 06, 2025 Karen rated it really liked it

Second book I have read by Jennifer Holm, and I believe this is a Newbery Award nominee. I'm a children's librarian by education and vocation (retired), and I still try to read children's literature when I get a chance.

I really enjoyed this historical fiction set in 1935 Key West, Florida. ...more

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