Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer L. Holm

In 1935, when her mother gets a job housekeeping for a woman who does not like children, eleven-year-old Turtle is sent to stay with relatives she has never met in far away Key West, Florida.

This was a great historical fiction read. I loved that the author took the time to insert some actual pictures of the time and of family members that inspired her characters. I fell in love with little Ms. Turtle, she was a tough little fighter. And the Diaper Gang made the laughs come throughout the story!

I loved the atmosphere in this book. It just felt like an old-fashioned summer to me. I remember this standing out to me when I read [b:Penny from Heaven 89377 Penny from Heaven Jennifer L. Holm https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1320470906s/89377.jpg 86258] as well; Holm has a gift for setting. The characters were fairly well defined, though I had a hard time differentiating the voices of the members of the Diaper Gang. I really enjoyed the ending because it was unexpected.Recommended to middle grade girls.