Turtles All the Way Down

Turtles All the Way Down by John Green

• Genre: Fiction; young adult contemporary
• Originally Published: 2017
• Reading Level/Interest: Lexile 840L; ages 14 and up
• Structure/Length: Divided into chapters; approximately 304 pages; approximately 7 hours, 12 minutes on audiobook
• Protagonist/Central Conflict: Aza Holmes is a 16-year-old girl attempting to navigate high school life and friendships while also struggling daily with mental health challenges, including obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). When she reconnects with an old friend, Davis Pickett, whose billionaire father has gone missing, Aza becomes involved in a mystery that brings her personal challenges to the forefront. The novel explores themes of friendship, love, and the search for identity amid mental health struggles.
• Potential Sensitivity Issues: Themes of mental health, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder, and discussion of suicide

John Green, Author

• Bio: Born 1977; American author and vlogger known for his influential young adult novels that explore the emotional and intellectual lives of young adults; celebrated for his ability to address complex and sensitive topics while resonating with teenage readers; other works include The Fault in Our Stars and Looking for Alaska
• Other Works: Looking for Alaska (2005); Paper Towns (2008); The Fault in Our Stars (2012)

CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Guide:

• Mental Illness
• Reality and Identity
• Socioeconomic Status

STUDY OBJECTIVES: In accomplishing the components of this Teaching Guide, students will:

• Develop a more thorough understanding of social, scientific, and psychological contexts regarding mental illnesses, including OCD and anxiety, that impact Aza’s life.
• Read paired texts and other brief resources to make connections via the text’s themes of Mental Illness, Reality and Identity, and Socioeconomic Status.
• Plan, design, and present a visual representation of Aza’s OCD and anxiety and their impact on her based on novel details.
• Examine and appraise the author’s purpose and techniques to draw conclusions regarding the symbolism of the title, literary strategies that build Aza’s experience with OCD and anxiety, and other topics.