Turtle in Paradise

Turtle in Paradise takes place during the Great Depression. Turtle is an eleven-year-old girl living with her mother and cat, Smokey, who is sent to live with her aunt and cousins in Key West, Florida because her mother's new employer refuses to let Turtle and her cat stay in her house. Turtle says goodbye without a tear and heads off to live with relatives she's never met.

When Turtle first arrives, her Aunt Minnie is shocked because she hadn't received her sister's letter about Turtle coming to live with her. Turtle's cousins are Beans, (the eldest, who gives a cold welcome to Turtle), Kermit (who has a heart defect and must take naps in the middle of the day and must not partake in overwhelming activities such as running), and Buddy (the youngest, who is prone to having accidents in his pants). Aunt Minnie eventually lets Turtle stay. Turtle takes residence in Beans' room, causing him to dislike her.

Florida is like nothing Turtle's ever seen before. It's hot and strange, full of ragtag boy cousins, family secrets, scams, and even buried pirate treasure! Before she knows what's happened, Turtle finds herself coming out of the shell she's spent her life building, and as she does, her world opens up in the most unexpected ways. Filled with adventure, humor, and heart, Turtle in Paradise is an instant classic both boys and girls will love.

Turtle in Paradise is a small format book measuring 5.2 x 0.5 x 7.6 inches. This small book is for children ages 9 to 12 years. The grade level for this book is 3 to 7. The Lexile for this book is 610L. The sales rank 96,734 in 6 months

Reed Elsevier in Publishers Weekly in 2010 states "Turtle, the witty 11-year-old narrator of this standout historical novel, is a straight shooter. 'Everyone thinks children are sweet as Necco Wafers, but I've lived long enough to know the truth: kids are rotten.' When her romantic and unrealistic mother, who's always falling in and out of love, gets a housekeeping job that won't allow children, she sends Turtle to her estranged family in Depression-era Key West"[3] According to Horn Book Magazine, "It's 1935, and narrator Turtle is sent to live in Key West. With her stoic nature and quick wits, she's able to fit in with her boy cousins. Turtle's voice is tart and world-weary. Though her narrative is peppered with references from the time, modern-day readers will have no trouble relating, and the fast-moving plot will keep them interested to the end."[4]