Friday, March 22, 2013

Turtle in paradise

Eleven year old Turtle knows that life is not a happy and Hollywood ending.  Money is scarce and so are jobs.  Turtle's mother is signed up for a housemaid, but when Turtle arrives with her mother her employer is extremely alarmed that Turtle's Mother would bring a child to her house.  So that was that, Turtle had to say goodbye as quick as a wink: no hugs no kisses, just hop in the carriage and off to aunt Minnie's house in the countryside.

It's not a peaceful and calm little village; it's dirty and dusty, and when aunt Minnie steps out of the front door she is alarmed to see that her sister isn't there.  So that's how life goes on with the gross food and all the little boys in the street (and her cousins) teasing her about the name, Turtle.  But one day when her uncle comes home everyone is a little nicer to her. Sadly, that only lasts two days and everyone is mean.

On one warm afternoon Turtle visits her gran's house and discovers a map in the old rusty piano: a treasure map!

Will Turtle and her cousins find the treasure on the island?

1 comment:

  1. Sophia,

    Thank you for lending me this book - I really loved it!

    The main character, "Turtle" is brilliant - she's smart and tough and deals with such difficult things so brilliantly - like how she handles the old woman she discovers is her grandma, Nana Philly, who is so mean and difficult.

    I like all the other characters too and the way they talk: that mean way that "Beans" talks for instance. The way "Slow Poke" talks with Turtle...

    And I also liked it that it took me to another time - 1935 - and another place - Florida. Wonderful!

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