If you're like me when you're trying to wrap your mind around issues like let's say drug addiction in Appalachia statistics and generalizations sorta numb your brain after awhile. But the individual stories of lives destroyed by big pharmaceutical companies stick with you. Likewise the content of most children's history books is, for purposes other than test passing, so much blah blah blah. Stories vivid enough to convey a sense of what it was like to be a kid back then are more engaging. Jennifer L. Holmes' Turtle in Paradise is a prime example. The year is 1935. The setting is Florida.
When we meet Turtle she's en route to Key West to live with an aunt she's never met, riding with a friend of her mother's latest boyfriend. Her mom's new job is a live in. A kid is not part of the deal. Mom tells her she'll love her new home.
"I blame Hollywood. Mama's watched so many pictures that she believes in happy endings. She's been waiting her whole life to find someone who'll sweep her off her feet and take care of her.
Me? I think life's more like that cartoon by Mr. Disney--The Three Little Pigs. Some big bad wolf's always trying to blow down your house."
It turns out Turtle's Aunt Minnie has no idea she and her cat, Smokey, are coming to live indefinitely. But she reshuffles the sleeping arrangements to give her a place to stay.
It's summer. The neighborhood kids are left to their own devices. In fact the children are paid (in candy) to take care of the babies. Sadie learns the secrets of a very close knit community and some of her own family history.
At the home of a newly discovered grandmother Turtle finds an antique gold coin and a treasure map. She and her friends borrow a rum runner's boat and head out for the island the map shows. They make one big mistake--forgetting to secure the boat. So they're stranded with no way to call for help and a major hurricane on the way.
Holmes was inspired by the life of her great-grandmother. She takes readers back to a time when people often had to travel to find work, sometimes leaving their children with relatives for extended periods of time; movies, radio, and the funny pages were state of the art entertainment; and Shirley Temple sang and danced her way to stardom.
And, yes, in 1935 there was a major hurricane.
On a purrrsonal note, yesterday the barbeque was a great success and so much fun!!! You would not believe how fast the kids snapped up the backpacks! Twenty-four! The kids and their parents and grandparents were so happy and appreciative! The weather was purrrfect. Not too hot or cold; not one drop of rain. The food was delicious. It was fun getting together socially with so many of my neighbors. Toward the end Steffi from my church delivered a box to my trailer. I invited her to drop in on the BBQ. She was really impressed. When I told everyone how she collects supplies at the church every year they were so grateful for her kindness. She was very happy. Afterwards it was time to inventory and store the leftover backpacks and supplies. The mystery box was really awesome. It contained 16 packages of supplies for individual backpacks. So I was able to fill 16 empty backpacks in a New York minute. I spent last night quite contentedly reading and eating blueberries near my lovely flowers.
A great big shout out goes out to everyone who participated in the Backpack Project and the BBQ.
Jules Hathaway
Sent from my Galaxy
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