Book Review: TURTLE IN PARADISE by Jennifer L. Holm

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Books in Print (via TWU Databases). Accessed November 11, 2013. http://ezproxy.twu.edu:2125/DetailedView.aspx?hreciid=|28467717|38172476&mc=USA

Holm, Jennifer L. 2010. Turtle in Paradise. New York: Random House. ISBN 9780606238779

Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer L. Holm is the story of a young girl sent to live in the Florida Keys with her cousins during 1935. Nicknamed “Turtle,” the girl finds herself surviving and adapting to living with her Aunt Minnie and scoundrel cousins. During that period in history, money was scarce and families often dispersed in order for parents to find work.

In the Keys, everyone has a nickname and this gives a sense of the unique essence of island life. The first page in the book is a definition of the word “conch.”  The conch sponge is gathered for sale and throughout the story is a recurring theme. Holm uses vivid descriptions of the surroundings, as well as the heat and tropical weather. When a hurricane hits and Turtle fears for her life beside her cousins, the reader almost feels as if they too are in danger of being swept away by the ocean waves.

       The theme is one of survival, love and family. Over time, Turtle builds relationships and discovers that the old woman named “Nana Philly” is actually her maternal grandmother. The concept of wanting to have a home to share with her mother is a timeless desire for a stable family life. Turtle in Paradise is an excellent resource for sharing what life was for some children during the Great Depression. It is not overly graphic in its descriptions of poverty, but does explain how hunger is connected to poverty during hard times. Young readers will enjoy the topic of Turtle and her cousins searching and finding buried treasure.

At the close of the reading, the author provides an extensive author’s note. Here, photographs are provided for the real sites of different locations within the novel. In addition, some of the characters are based upon real people whose photos are included. A brief list of Web sites are included, along with resources for further reading about the Great Depression and the Labor Day hurricane that hit the Florida Keys in 1935.

        Turtle in Paradise received a number of award nominations including the Bluebonnet Award (2012) and the California Young Reader Medal (2013). As Stephanie Malosh writes in her School Library Journal Review, "Readers who enjoy melodic, humorous tales of the past won't want to miss it" (Books in Print 2010).

References:

Books in Print (via TWU Databases). Accessed November 11, 2013. http://ezproxy.twu.edu:2125/DetailedView.aspx?hreciid=|28467717|38172476&mc=USA

Holm, Jennifer L. 2010. Turtle in Paradise. New York: Random House. ISBN 9780606238779

Book Review: THE MIDWIFE'S APPRENTICE by Karen Cushman

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Books in Print (via TWU Databases). Accessed November 04, 2013. http://ezproxy.twu.edu:2125/DetailedView.aspx?hreciid=|1220566|1038994&mc=USA

Cushman, Karen. 1995. The Midwife's Apprentice. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN 9780395692295

Winner of the Newbery Medal (1996) The Midwife’s Apprentice by Karen Cushman is a gripping tale of an oppressed orphan who struggles to maintain alive in a brutal environment. The girl does not even know her own name, is given pejorative nicknames such as “Brat” and “Beetle,” as she slept in dung as would a dung beetle. Later, someone mistakes her for a child named “Alyce” and she embraces this as her own, real name.

The novel does not directly give the time and place of the setting. It is implied through the mention of locations where different activities are going to occur. Alyce becomes the apprentice of a harsh, yet capable midwife. The language used to describe the suffering in this story is intense and often disturbing.

 There are no direct source notes or specific references to exact dates in time. There are hints that suggest another time and place in the past. Reference to Halloween as “All Hallows’ Eve” and the frequent mention of witches and other vocabulary might imply Medieval England. However, prior to reading the author’s source notes, the reader would need a background in history to be able to place the novel in that era. Midwives are used even in current times, all over the world. 

The one specific reference to the setting in time is the acknowledgement that the king is indeed “King Edward.” It is not clarified whether this is King Edward III or his father. This is also not provided in the author’s notes. Although a moving and touching story, it does not appear an example of sharing specific historical detail with young readers. As Hazel Rochman notes in her Booklist review, “…it is a fast-paced narrative about a hero who discovers she’s not stupid, ugly or alone” (Booklist 1995).

 The theme includes the universal need for love, acceptance and identity. Alyce is orphaned and terribly lonely. This crosses all boundaries of time and place. The story may be used to describe the lifestyle in areas where midwives are prevalent, and how a village might become dependent upon someone with these talents. Young readers are often unaware that midwives are, and always have been, an integral part of childbirth all over the globe. 

The author’s notes contains an emphasis on midwifery and how it was seen as an element of superstition and witchcraft because it was practiced by women. There are no recommendations listed within the book for further reading on any of the topics addressed.

References:

Books in Print (via TWU Databases). Accessed November 04, 2013. http://ezproxy.twu.edu:2125/DetailedView.aspx?hreciid=|1220566|1038994&mc=USA

Cushman, Karen. 1995. The Midwife's Apprentice. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN 9780395692295

Book Review: THE GREEN GLASS SEA by Ellen Klages

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Klages, Ellen. 2006. The Green Glass Sea. New York: Penguin Group. ISBN 9780670061341

Winner of the Scott O’Dell Historical Fiction Award (2007) The Green Glass Sea, written by Ellen Klages is a moving story about a young girl, orphaned during World War II. Her father, a scientist working for the military, is killed and the young girl must adjust to life with a family that is also living in the military facility.

The plot revolves around a military project where scientists and their families live in a designated area of Los Alamos, New Mexico during World War II. The details of every action, thought and setting for everything in the novel is described at length. Although this provides a mental picture of the written text, this may become cumbersome for a young person reading the novel.

There is a significant degree of authenticity to the setting. An author’s note is included at the close of the reading to provide which elements are facts of history, and which are fiction. The basis of the story is the “Manhattan Project,” which is the military project that developed the atomic bomb. In addition, Klages includes recommended reading to further discover details about what took place in Los Alamos during World War II.

The theme is one based on the universal experiences of friendship, loss of loved ones, and a need for family connections. The pain a child experiences when orphaned is a timeless one, and is not limited to any particular era. The novel can be used as an example for young readers learning about general history, or specifically the era in which the atomic bomb was developed.

The style is one of much detail, where certain elements characteristic of the era are highlighted. For example, Dewey waits to see her father’s green Studebaker. Although the vehicle exists in current day as an antique model, in that era it would have been more commonplace. Other examples of including the flavor of the times into the story include young Dewey listening to the classic tune “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” on a box radio.

           

        In the acknowledgements, Klages indicates that she relied on a variety of sources, including that of Life magazine from issues dated during the period of World War II. Sources are not directly cited for this novel. In addition, the author states that the final chapter of The Green Glass Sea is based on a short story she had written. Klages also used post cards and out-of-print books to reflect upon life during the 1940’s. As indicated by Ava Donaldson in her Voice of Youth Advocates review, "The Green Glass Sea is a wonderful representation of the hardships and little wonders of World War II" (Books in Print 2007).

References:

Books in Print (via TWU Databases). Accessed November 04, 2013. http://ezproxy.twu.edu:2125/DetailedView.aspx?hreciid=|16598565|13275110&mc=USA

Klages, Ellen. 2006. The Green Glass Sea. New York: Penguin Group. ISBN 9780670061341