By: Jennifer L. Holm
Random House Children's Books, New York
Cover Image by: Vstock LLC/Tetra Images/Getty Images and Eric Audras/ONOKY/Getty Images
Lexile: 610L
Accelerated Reader: 4.0
Witty, Courageous, Sarcastic, Charming, Historical
Suggested Delivery: read aloud
Electronic Resources to Support Reading:
1. Key History
This website is provided by Jennifer L. Holm at the end of the novel. This site is beneficial for students to explore and browse while reading the book and hearing about the different areas, attractions, and customs of Key West. It offers virtual tours in many various areas, such as: transportation, art, industries, flora, coral reef, and natural history.
This website is provided by Jennifer L. Holm and provides students with an overview of "The Shadow", a popular character in a radio show during this time period (1935). Students may browse the site upon hearing about the Shadow during the read aloud, in order to see what the characters in the story enjoyed looking at while reading the comics and listening to the radio.
Key Vocabulary:
- conch - refers to a resident of the Florida Keys
- bollos - fried dough consisting of black-eyed peas, garlic, pepper; Cuban dish
- grunts-and-grits - little fish and porridge, a popular Key West dish
- The Bellewood - a mail-order home from Sears catalog
- cut-up - a Key West "salad", consisting of a plethora of various ingredients native to the region, such as: sugar apple, banana, mango, alligator pear (avocado), guava, raw onions, cooked potatoes that are cut up, seasoned, and shared.
- cistern - a tank or container to store water
Before Reading: In the beginning of the story, Turtle moves down to Key West to live with her aunt and cousins. She is apprehensive about going to a brand new place away from her mother and all that she knows. Students will share a time when they were nervous to start something new in their own lives in order to set the stage for the book they will be reading (moving, starting at a new school, starting a new sport/activity, going to stay with another family member, etc.).
During Reading: There are many characters throughout the story with unique names, such as Pork Chop, Slow Poke, Kermit, etc. In order to keep the characters' names straight, students will complete a character map graphic organizer, complete with the character's name and either why that character is important or the role of the character in the story.
After Reading: Upon finishing the book, students have heard and learned a lot about the culture and geography of Key West during 1935. In order to relate that knowledge to Key West's current state, students will research present-time Key West and how it has changed since 1935, in regards to architecture, culture, the general lay-out, and in what ways it has stayed the same.
Writing Activity: Turtle befriends an older fisherman, Slow Poke, when she moves to Key West. Why do you think Slow Poke cares so much for Turtle and develops a loving, caring relationship with her? Use examples from the book that shows how Slow Poke cares for Turtle, her Key West family, and her mother.
Writing Activity: Turtle befriends an older fisherman, Slow Poke, when she moves to Key West. Why do you think Slow Poke cares so much for Turtle and develops a loving, caring relationship with her? Use examples from the book that shows how Slow Poke cares for Turtle, her Key West family, and her mother.
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