Beat the Turtle Drum

Last updated
Beat the Turtle Drum
Beat the Turtle Drum.jpg
1976 edition
AuthorConstance C. Greene
Illustrator Donna Diamond
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Genre Middle grade fiction
Publisher Viking Press
Publication date
1968
ISBN 9780140368505

Beat the Turtle Drum is a 1968 coming-of-age middle grade fiction book by Constance C. Greene, following a summer in which two sisters save up the money to rent a horse, after which tragedy strikes in an unexpected accident. This story is semi-autobiographical in nature, inspired by Greene's own childhood experience with the death of a sister. An ALA Notable Book and the recipient of multiple awards, Beat the Turtle Drum was adapted into an ABC Afterschool Special in the 1970s, and has been printed in multiple editions. The book was illustrated by Donna Diamond. [1]

Contents

Plot

Written in a diary format, the story follows Kate, a thirteen-year-old aspiring poet, whose best friend is her little sister, eleven-year-old Joselyn (nicknamed "Joss"). Joss, obsessed with horses, wants to save the money to rent a horse of her own, which Kate joins in on happily. Renting a horse comes with some difficulties, including a nosy spinster neighbour and a latent crush on a local boy. Unspoken rivalries and an age gap threaten to make the sisters more distant, especially since Kate is becoming a teenager while Joss is still interested in childish things. Moreover, Joss is often treated as the "perfect" sister, while Kate is often criticized by their parents.

When Kate and Joss finally have the money to rent their horse for Joss's upcoming birthday, they try to build the horse a shed with the help of their younger best friend, Tootie. Eventually realizing that the construction project isn't feasible after a storm blows the shed over, the three girls decide to keep the horse in the garage. Joss is given the horse, named Prince, for a week-long rental from eccentric neighbours Mr. and Mrs. Essig. Mrs. Pemberthy, the sisters' nosy alcoholic neighbour, does not approve of the horse, but this does not deter the girls, who are determined to spend Joss's birthday happily. They plan a picnic, climbing into a tall old tree to eat at the top of it. When Joss attempts to look out to the distance and watch for Prince, she slips from the treetop and falls, dying instantly.

Kate's story concludes with the various reactions of the people around her to the loss of Joss. Mrs. Pemberthy attempts to make amends in myriad strange ways, while the Essigs respond with kindness and personal anecdotes. Tootie, too young to understand her own grief, tries to learn. Kate finds herself unable to move on from the accident, and admits that she no longer expects herself to move on either, although she tries to make peace with Joss's death and continues to write when she can.

Reception

Beat the Turtle Drum has been compared with similar book Bridge to Terabithia as an exploration of childhood death from a child's perspective, earning praise early-on for its approach to the subject matter. Barbara Wersba, a critic for The New York Times , said of the book, "it is a simple book, and in many ways an unexceptional one. But its characters are human, and its heartbreak is true... in a very quiet way, Constance C. Greene has written a remarkable tale." [2] Kirkus Reviews agreed, saying of the book, "leaving the reader almost as unprepared as Kate is for the tragedy could be considered sneaky, but it's certainly effective; young readers lulled by Greene's net of contentment are bound to share Kate's shock as well as her earlier pleasure." [3] Publishers Weekly praised Beat the Turtle Drum in Constance C. Greene's obituary, pointing out, "Greene said that Beat the Turtle Drum was her most autobiographical book and, unlike most of her other novels, it had a heavier theme: the death of a sister. The story was based on Greene’s childhood loss of her own older sister. Beat the Turtle Drum was adapted as an ABC Afterschool Special titled Very Good Friends". [4] Beat the Turtle Drum was the recipient of the ALA Notable Book award and the CBC Children's Choice award.

Film adaptation

Beat the Turtle Drum was adapted into an ABC Afterschool Special made-for-television film titled Very Good Friends, also marketed as Beat the Turtle Drum. The latter title was changed for the adaptation due to concerns over potential audience confusion over the meaning of the phrase "turtle drum", which had been a line of poetry cited in the original book, credited to Ian Serraillier. The film was released as part of a four-part set on DVD. [5] [6]

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>She Stoops to Conquer</i>

She Stoops to Conquer is a comedy by Oliver Goldsmith, first performed in London in 1773. The play is a favourite for study by English literature and theatre classes in the English-speaking world. It is one of the few plays from the 18th century to have retained its appeal and is still regularly performed. The play has been adapted into a film several times, including in 1914 and 1923. Initially the play was titled Mistakes of a Night and the events within the play take place in one long night. In 1778, John O'Keeffe wrote a loose sequel, Tony Lumpkin in Town.

<i>Black Beauty</i> 1877 novel by Anna Sewell

Black Beauty: His Grooms and Companions, the Autobiography of a Horse is an 1877 novel by English author Anna Sewell. It was composed in the last years of her life, during which she was bedridden and seriously ill. The novel became an immediate best-seller, with Sewell dying just five months after its publication, but having lived long enough to see her only novel become a success. With fifty million copies sold, Black Beauty is one of the best-selling books of all time.

<i>Bridge to Terabithia</i> (novel) 1977 childrens novel by Katherine Paterson

Bridge to Terabithia is a novel written by Katherine Paterson, about two children named Leslie and Jesse who create a magical forest kingdom in their imaginations. The book was originally published in 1977 by Thomas Crowell, and in 1978, it won the Newbery Medal. Paterson drew inspiration for the novel from a real event that occurred in August 1974 when her son’s friend was struck dead by lightning.

<i>The Stone Diaries</i> 1993 novel by Carol Shields

The Stone Diaries is a 1993 novel by Carol Shields.

<i>Anne of Avonlea</i> Book by Lucy Maud Montgomery

Anne of Avonlea is a 1909 novel by Canadian author Lucy Maud Montgomery.

<i>Two of a Kind</i> (American TV series) American sitcom

Two of a Kind is an American sitcom that aired on ABC as part of the network's TGIF line-up, starring Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen in their first television series since Full House ended in 1995. The show aired from September 25, 1998 to July 9, 1999.

<i>The Westing Game</i> 1978 childrens mystery novel by Ellen Raskin

The Westing Game is a mystery book written by Ellen Raskin and published by Dutton on May 1, 1978. It won the Newbery Medal recognizing the year's most distinguished contribution to American children's literature.

<i>A Year Down Yonder</i>

A Year Down Yonder is a novel by Richard Peck published in 2000 and won the Newbery Medal in 2001. It is a sequel to A Long Way from Chicago, which itself received a Newbery Honor.

<i>Sister of the Bride</i> Novel by Beverly Cleary

Sister of the Bride is a 1963 young adult novel by Beverly Cleary.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nell Mangel</span> Fictional character from Neighbours

Eleanor "Nell" Worthington is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Vivean Gray. She made her first on-screen appearance on 29 April 1986. She was known almost exclusively to others as Mrs Mangel. The character caused controversy among some of the public, who in turn abused Gray constantly because of Nell. In the short time she was in the series her constant sparring with Madge Bishop was a focal point in her storylining, as well as being a continual annoyance among her neighbours with her nosy, interfering and nasty attitude. She is often described as one of the series' most iconic characters and one of its greatest villains.

<i>North and South</i> (miniseries) Three American television miniseries

North and South is the title of three American television miniseries broadcast on the ABC network in 1985, 1986, and 1994. Set before, during, and immediately after the American Civil War, they are based on the 1980s trilogy of novels North and South by John Jakes. The 1985 first installment, North and South, remains the seventh-highest rated miniseries in TV history. North and South: Book II (1986) was met with similar success, while 1994's Heaven and Hell: North and South Book III was poorly received by both critics and audiences.

<i>Ramona and Her Father</i> Novel by Beverly Cleary

Ramona and Her Father is the fourth book in Beverly Cleary's popular Ramona Quimby series. In this humorous children's novel, Mr. Quimby loses his job and Ramona thinks up ways to earn money and help her family out. Published in 1977, Ramona and Her Father was a Newbery Honor Book.

<i>Bridge to Terabithia</i> (2007 film) 2007 film by Gábor Csupó

Bridge to Terabithia is a 2007 American coming-of-age fantasy drama film directed by Gábor Csupó and written by David L. Paterson and Jeff Stockwell. It is based on the 1977 novel of the same name by Katherine Paterson. The film stars Josh Hutcherson, AnnaSophia Robb, Bailee Madison, Zooey Deschanel, and Robert Patrick. It follows two 11-year-old neighbors who create a fantasy world called Terabithia to cope with reality and spend their free time together.

<i>Robbery Under Arms</i> Australian novel by Rolf Boldrewood

Robbery Under Arms is a bushranger novel by Thomas Alexander Browne, published under his pen name Rolf Boldrewood. It was first published in serialised form by The Sydney Mail between July 1882 and August 1883, then in three volumes in London in 1888. It was abridged into a single volume in 1889 as part of Macmillan's one-volume Colonial Library series and has not been out of print since.

<i>Agadam Bagdam Tigdam</i> Indian sitcom series

Agadam Bagdam Tigdam is an Indian children's television sitcom produced by Contiloe Entertainment and aired on Disney Channel India. It was launched on May 18, 2007 as the third major original production of the network, and Disney's third locally produced live action Hindi language series. The show was planned to be the third of a string of five local productions due to be released within a year and has followed Dhoom Machaao Dhoom. The show is based on the British show My Parents Are Aliens.

<i>ABC Afterschool Special</i> Television series

ABC Afterschool Special is an American television anthology series that aired on ABC from October 4, 1972, to January 23, 1997, usually in the late afternoon on weekdays. Most episodes were dramatically presented situations, often controversial, of interest to children and teenagers. Several episodes were either in animated form or presented as documentaries. Topics included illiteracy, substance abuse and teenage pregnancy. The series won 51 Daytime Emmy Awards during its 25-year run.

Donna Diamond is an American artist, known mostly as a children's book illustrator famous for her cover artwork appearing on a number of 20th century published novels. These novels were the inspiration for myriad TV afterschool specials in the United States and Canada, notably Bridge to Terabithia, and Beat the Turtle Drum, among others. Diamond is also known for her printmaking and linoleum block artwork.

References

  1. Greene, Constance C. (2015). Beat the Turtle Drum. Open Road Media. ISBN   9781504000895.
  2. Wersba, Barbara. "Beat the Turtle Drum". The New York Times . Retrieved 12 April 2022.
  3. "Beat the Turtle Drum". www.kirkusreviews.com. Kirkus Reviews.
  4. Maughan, Shannon. "Obituary: Constance C. Greene". www.publishersweekly.com. Publishers Weekly. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
  5. "Very Good Friends/Beat the Turtle Drum -- Afterschool Special -- 1977". www.youtube.com. YouTube.
  6. "Very Good Friends". www.imdb.com. The Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 12 April 2022.