Junonia by Kevin Henkes

I first talked about Junonia here on this blog in 2011. I suggest you begin with my previous post. On a recent visit to Gleebooks in Sydney I spied this book on their shelves. I really cannot list my top ten or even most favourite book but Junonia is a book I do think about from time to time and it is certainly a firm favourite so I decided (since I had left my beloved copy behind in my former school library) that I should buy a copy for myself. You probably already know I am a huge fan of Kevin Henkes. 

This morning I sat down and re-read the whole book again - I think this might be the third time I have read Junonia. Then I re-read my blog post and I was surprised by my own writing - well done to me!

Here are a few text quotes:

"Alice concentrated entirely on the pelican. The bird was so odd and silly looking, a mysterious, mesmerising wonder. ... She'd seen pelicans before, every year that she had been here, but when you see something only once a year it's always new, as if you're seeing it for the first time."

"Alice had a pale, watchful face. She had straight brown hair and brown eyes and a brown spot the size and shape of an apple seed near the corner of her mouth. The spot was a mole, but Alice hated the word mole and referred to as a speck. She hated the speck ... "

"When Alice's father unlocked the door to the pink cottage and Alice stepped inside, she brightened up instantly. Sunlight streamed through the windows. The walls of the main room and each smaller room were panelled with honey-coloured wood, once highly polished ... Alice felt as if she were entering an enchanted house from a fairy tale ... All  of the cottages were named for seashells. Alice's cottage was name Scallop. ... 'Hello, Scallop,' said Alice, twirling around. 'It's so good to see you again."

Junonia was first published in 2011. As I said, I purchased my copy a couple of weeks ago. Have you ever noticed book shop price stickers often have a date? My copy of Junonia was added to the shop inventory in December, 2020. I only paid $15 which was terrific. If this book is difficult to find in a shop perhaps it will be in your school or local library or perhaps you can borrow an ebook version. I do highly recommend Junonia for sensitive readers aged 9+. 

Kevin Henkes has created a character in Alice who deftly balances the line between girlhood and early adolescence. Her voice is authentic, and her worries, fears, and disappointments are spot-on. James Patterson

Henkes understands childhood disappointment in a way that really resonated with me, and I think Alice's perspective matches that of many real children whose lives are also changing as they move closer to adolescence. Read at Home Mom

An only child surrounded by affection, routine and attention, Alice has the space to realise that life can be an adventure experienced independently, even while held closely by those one loves. Kirkus Star review

Australian readers might need a map to understand where Alice lives (Wisconsin) and where they holiday each year in February (Florida).

Image Source: Wisconsin Auto transport

Here are some of the shells mentioned in this book including the wonderful but elusive junonia.

Image source: Southwest Florida Shells

I would follow Junonia with these:

Turtle in Paradise

Shouting at the Rain

The Grand Genius Summer of Henry Hoobler

Check out other Kevin Henkes books on this blog by typing his name in my search bar.

Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer L Holm

I am putting a little image here of Babymouse because I can hardly believe this but Turtle in Paradise is by Jennifer Holm who also wrote the Babymouse series.

Turtle in Paradise feels like a book from a completely different author. The setting here, for this middle to upper primary novel, is Key West in Florida.  The date is June 1935 and America is in the grip of the depression.  Poverty and hardship pervade life of the characters in this book and it is precisely because of this poverty that Turtle finds herself living away from her mother with her harassed and overworked aunt and boisterous collection of boy cousins.  "Truth is the place looks like a broken chair that's been left out in the sun to rot."

Key West is a tiny community where everyone knows everyone else and nearly everyone is related. Within hours of her arrival everyone knows about Turtle and they know her mum is far away working as a maid.  Aunt Minnie has no time for the new arrival.  "This is just like Sadiebelle.  She never thinks.  As if I don't have enough already with three kids and a husband who's never home ... And you bought a cat?"

The three kids are named Kermit, Beans and Buddy.  Along with their friend Pork Chop these boys are The Diaper Gang - they mind crying babies and change diapers in exchange for candy.  Turtle is not allowed to join this gang because girls are not allowed but she tags along.  What these boys don't know yet is that Turtle is a strong willed and very capable.  She has no interest in Shirley Temple but she does have a huge dream of a special house to share with her mum.  Along with her aunt and cousins, two other important people live at Key West - Turtle's angry grandmother Nana Philly and an old fisherman called Slow Poke.  Within weeks of her arrival Turtle has a job and she has begun to forge a relationship with her cantankerous grandmother.

Here is a flavour of the story - a description of a cut up :

"After we finish swimming, we have a cut-up.  A cut-up is something these Conch kids do every chance they get. Each kid brings whatever they can find lying around or hanging on a tree - sugar apple, banana, mango, pineapple, alligator pear (avocado), guava, cooked potatoes and even raw onions.  They take a big bowl, cut it all up, and season it with Old Sour, which is made form key lime juice, salt and hot peppers.  Then they pass it around with a fork and everyone takes a bite.  It's the strangest fruit salad I've ever had, but it's tasty."

There are only 177 pages in this book but it contains so many fabulous twists and turns you will find yourself spinning and smiling and definitely cheering for our special heroine Turtle.

My only real disappointment with this book comes from never really discovering why Turtle is called Turtle although I think I can make an educated guess.  Here is a good review and if I haven't convinced you that this is a terrific book here is another very detailed review from Jen Robinson.

You might also enjoy Waiting for Normal.

Turtle in Paradise won a Newbery honor (2010) so there are lots of book trailers - here is one that I like.  Here is a set of questions and a vocabulary list. One of the interesting ways I have already used this book was at a parent talk last week.  I think I convinced some of my audience that I had actually been to Florida - I love this aspect of reading when you feel as though you have really been a participant in a book long after you have finished reading.

Holm’s voice for Turtle is winning and authentic—that of a practical, clear-eyed observer—and her nimble way with dialogue creates laugh-out-loud moments. Sweet, funny and superb