Beat the Turtle Drum

by Constance C. Greene and Bette Greene

Book Overview

Twelve-year-old Kate and her younger sister, Joss, are close friends-which is unusual, because the two of them are completely different. Thoughtful Kate plans to be a writer someday, while bubbly Joss makes friends wherever she goes. This promises to be their best summer yet, because Joss is going to rent a horse for the week of her eleventh birthday. Although Kate is excited, she somehow feels that they are almost too happy-that something bad is...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0670152412
• ISBN13: 9780670152414
• Release Date: October 1976
• Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers
• Length: 119 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 1.0" x 1.0"
• Age Range: 9 to 11 years
• Grade Range: Grades 4 to 6

Customer Reviews

Beat the Turtle Drum

ISBN 044040875x - Beat the Turtle Drum, an ALA Notable Book, has only one real flaw - it never explains the title. Research gave me 2 possiblities. The one that seems closest is: The turtle represents protection and long life. The circles on the turtle's shell represent the circle of life. Joss is a horse-crazy 10 year-old. Her sister, Kate, plans to be a writer and tells this story in the first person. Joss has been saving her money to rent a horse for a week and, with her birthday coming soon, her dream is about to come true. In her excitement, she convinces Kate and some friends - including her young admirer, Tootie - to help her build a stable. A storm knocks it over, but Joss is undeterred and makes a nice space for the horse in the garage. Finally, the big day arrives, Prince is delivered and for one week, Joss has her own horse. The only person who doesn't seem to be happy for Joss is their neighbor, Mrs. Pemberthy, who has watched them from her window for years. On a hot summer day near the end of the week, Kate and Joss climb the tree in the yard to picnic in the branches as they had when they were younger. Obsessed about keeping an eye on Prince, Joss climbs too far out on a branch and falls to her death. Now Kate, her family and their friends must cope with the sudden loss of Joss. This is not one of those poetic stories - the text really isn't that superbly written, masterful language type of thing. That's what makes it such a touching story. Although Kate periodically throws in big words you don't expect from a young teen, for the most part the story is told in the simple language of a very young "young adult". This style makes it a believable tale and the characters make it unbelievably sad. Mrs. Pemberthy, the nosy neighbor that no one likes, makes almost comical efforts to connect with the family, particularly the girls, and fails miserably. Tootie, the least bright child in a bright family, worships Joss and seems more alone than anyone else when she is gone. Mr. and Mrs. Essig, the horse renters, are caring and kind, dwelling on the fringe of Joss and Kate's world but still connected. On the lighter side, I did find it hilarious that Joss, at age 11, didn't know what a turd was - what six year-old doesn't know that word?

a modern classic

I read this book in the 6th grade. My copy is downright ragged now but I still cherish it because it's a great story. Kate and Joss are two very different sisters and when tragedy strikes Kate learns about hope, the power of memory and the strength of her family.

So beautiful, and so sad

I first read this book when I was eleven years old. For some reason, although it saddened me, it didn't seem real: I'd never known anybody my own age who had died, and I couldn't comprehend the grief of the older sister, Kate, when her little sister Joss died suddenly. Last year, however, my 7-year-old son died unexpectedly. The pain of such loss is incomprehensible to anyone who hasn't suffered such a terrible thing. Everything Kate describes in this book is so true: the rage at God, the anger that somebody else who 'deserved' to die didn't die instead, and most of all, the stillness, the emptiness where that little person used to be. When I read Kate's poem about her sister's empty bed, I wept and wept. I'm crying as I write this. Constance Greene has written a small masterpiece about the worst possible thing that life could throw at a person; it is a thing of rare beauty. And it will make you hug your children a little more often.

A touching story of two sisters and dealing with change

This book was published the year I was born and when I was 8 or 9 I remember seeing it in the library and at Fred Meyer's while looking at books. I soon became familiar with the author when I read her book Isabelle The Itch. Although this book seemed good, I didn't get interested in it until much later, in fact I picked up a copy last week at a thrift store for 50 cents and I just finished reading it today. MMM, what a touching story. It reminds me of my childhood, growing up in the suburbs of Seattle in a town called Lynnwood. I wanted a horse bad and me and my sister would play horses all day and pretend to be pioneers. Then we'd sit on the fence outside and watch the sunsets over the Olympic Mountain range; a lot similar to the things Joss and Kate did together. We moved up north east of Lynnwood a few years later and I'd see this book in the school library but I guess I sorta forgot about it until I saw and bought it recently. Anyway it is different from the author's story about her character Isabelle. Isabelle is more comedy-style, whereas this book deals with some serious fact-of-life issues we all need to face sooner or later. So easy to take our loved ones for granted, thinking that they'll always be with us. This book helps you to appreciate what you've got and to spend quality time with the ones you love because you never know; it could all just crumble any time. Before the tragic part in the book, I found a lot of interesting parts and some were even kind of funny. Ms. Greene uses the right blend of comedy and tragedy. Go, Ms. Greene!

Touching, sad, wonderful

I really liked this book because it shows how quickly a person can grow up after a loved one's death affects them. I also liked the poem in the front, because the poem is subsequently much different than the story. Youth does not last forever for Kate, and sorrow comes quickly when Joss suddenly dies.