Publication date: May 4, 2021
My Thoughts:
This is a graphic novel adaptation of author Jennifer L. Holm's 2011 historic fiction novel of life in Key West in 1935 during the depression. The book takes place in the small, tight knit white community as Turtle is sent to live with her aunt and boy cousins. While staying on Curry Lane, although everyone is poor, her cousins, aka "the Diaper Gang," find ways to make "candy money" and take care of only the bad babies. Like Fight Club, there are rules to Diaper Gang. The first rule is "you gotta know the rules." Then, in order: no girls allowed, keep your rag clean, always duck, and never tell anyone the secret formula.
Turtle, her actual name, is spunky and a convincing liar so she fits in well with the fast moving Diaper Gang as well as the resident rum runner and sponge fisherman. She even out sasses the mean Miss Bea who turns out to be her grandmother who Turtle's mom insisted was dead.
The illustrations by Savanna Ganucheau bring back the black and white comics of Little Orphan Annie, but the vibrant pastels of colorist Lark Pien help to evoke Florida in the mind of modern readers.
There are enough adventures in this adaptation to satisfy the tween readers and the relationships that are created may bring them to the original novel.
From the Publisher:
A graphic novel adaptation of the beloved, bestselling Newbery Honor-winning novel.
Eleven-year-old Turtle is smart and tough and has seen enough of the world not to expect a Hollywood ending. After all, it's 1935 and money—and sometimes even dreams—is scarce. So when Turtle's mother gets a job housekeeping for a lady who doesn't like kids, Turtle heads off to Florida to live with relatives. Florida's like nothing Turtle's ever seen before, though. It's full of ragtag boy cousins, family secrets to unravel . . . and even a little bit of fun. Before she knows what's happened, Turtle finds herself coming out of her shell. And as she does, her world opens up in the most unexpected ways.
Inspired by family stories, three-time Newbery Honor winner Jennifer L. Holm blends family lore with America's past in this charming gem of a novel, now adapted into graphic novel form by rising star Savanna Ganucheau.
Eleven-year-old Turtle is smart and tough and has seen enough of the world not to expect a Hollywood ending. After all, it's 1935 and money—and sometimes even dreams—is scarce. So when Turtle's mother gets a job housekeeping for a lady who doesn't like kids, Turtle heads off to Florida to live with relatives. Florida's like nothing Turtle's ever seen before, though. It's full of ragtag boy cousins, family secrets to unravel . . . and even a little bit of fun. Before she knows what's happened, Turtle finds herself coming out of her shell. And as she does, her world opens up in the most unexpected ways.
Inspired by family stories, three-time Newbery Honor winner Jennifer L. Holm blends family lore with America's past in this charming gem of a novel, now adapted into graphic novel form by rising star Savanna Ganucheau.
No comments:
Post a Comment