Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Turtle in Paradise | 2010 | Jennifer L. Holm | Buy |
| 2 | Full of Beans | 2016 | Jennifer L. Holm | Buy |
Turtle in Paradise is a historical fiction series by Jennifer L. Holm set in 1930s Key West, Florida. The title book, Turtle in Paradise (2010), earned a Newbery Honor and follows a sharp, practical girl named Turtle who is sent to live with relatives she has never met. Full of Beans (2016) is a companion novel set in the same community.
Turtle’s voice is funny and skeptical, shaped by hard times and a mother who keeps chasing bad luck. The novel paints Key West during the Depression as a place where sponge fishing, hurricanes, and tight family bonds define daily life. Holm based some of the story on her own family history in the Keys.
Full of Beans follows a different character, a boy named Beans, in the same neighborhood a few years later. It is a companion rather than a direct sequel, so the two books can be read in either order, though starting with Turtle in Paradise gives more context for the setting.