When her mother gets a new job as a housekeeper for a woman who doesn't
like children, Turtle must move to Key West to live with her aunt and
uncle while her mother waits for her dreamer of a boyfriend to pop the
question so they can finally be a family.
In the meantime, Turtle
adjusts to life with her relatives in Key West which includes a band of
raucous boy cousins who call themselves The Diaper Gang (because they,
ironically, know how to soothe fussy babies) and the surly grandmother
who had a falling out with her mother.
As Turtle gets to know
the family she's never met, she comes to grow an affection for them -
even her cousin Beans who does not appreciate having to give up his room
for this surprise familial intruder.
While
Turtle in Paradise
is not a book with an exciting story arc and/or lots of
edge-of-your-seat drama, there is a quiet beauty to it. It's one of
those books where you just want to sit down on the porch swing with a
glass of lemonade and visit with the characters for a while - and it is
an additional reminder as to why I will forever prefer character-driven
novels to plot-driven ones. In Turtle in Paradise, Jennifer Holm weaves
family stories into something magical. I highly recommend reading the
author's note at the end. It's a great way to show students and aspiring
writers alike how to take inspiration from all around you.
I
finished the audiobook of
Turtle in Paradise in less than 24 hours while
I was recovering from LASIK surgery thanks in part to the soothing
voice of the narrator, Becca Battoe. It's one of those audiobooks that
makes you enjoy the listening experience just as much, if not more so
than than the reading experience.
If you're looking for a quiet yet fun summer read, look no further. (Oh, and don't forget that Jennifer Holm is also the writer of
Babymouse!)
