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Orphan Island edition by Laurel Snyder Children eBooks

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Orphan Island edition by Laurel Snyder Children eBooks

This story spoke to me on multiple levels:

1.) At its outermost superficial story level, the plot interested me from the start. The strange and solemn custom of saying goodbye -- possibly forever -- to the eldest of the islanders provided a gripping, emotional scene.

2.) Just underneath the story arc, the character arc was convincing. Seeing nine children, each at a different point in his or her growth arc, provided a good sense of how quickly children grow, how quickly they change and adapt when put in extenuating circumstances. The fact that they also had varying personalities made them leap from the page, spiced up their interactions immensely. I also liked hearing about characters from the past, how previous islanders like Abby would try to send messages to the future. It was both primitive and resourceful at the same time, which made the mysteries that much more intriguing and page-turning.

3.) A layer deeper, the concept of mentoring the young -- almost parenthood-like -- shone through the story in how Jinny must manage Ess and then Loo. It spoke to the difficulties of parenthood, how much is unforeseen, how exhausting and rewarding it can be all at once. The way Ess reacted to Loo, bonded with Sam, and other interactions seemed realistic for siblings that must cope with a parent's divided attention. It would have been nice to see how Deen interacted with Sam, but Jinny's journey definitely echoed some of the difficulties new parents often express.

4.) The cycle of life -- how the old must leave and make way for the new, how the young must learn to leave the nest and find new friends when they outgrow their parents. The endless march of time. A lot of themes grew naturally from the premise of following rules, becoming self-sufficient and independent, learning on the fly, needing to bond with others of different ages and social ranks. I liked how Laurel Snyder was able to accomplish these relationships without resorting to bloodshed or fisticuffs (a.l.a Lord of the Flies).

5.) The event-based structure of the chapters kept the pages turning. Every day seemed to present some new, imaginative challenge, each believable and self-contained, such as hunting for honey, reading books, venturing onto the cliffs, or catching an inkfish. Kudos to the author for coming up with believable characters and creatures, from the inkfish providing ink for writing and making references to famous books such as Harry Potter and James and the Giant Peach without directly mentioning them by name. Very well done!

6.) Signs -- I liked how every sign could be interpreted or not interpreted, inviting the reader (along with Jinny) to make too much of some of the book's later events. For example, when the kids experience snow for the first time, we as readers almost want to see it as "the sky falling" like the nursery rhyme, but Jinny and Nat do a good job of noting that it's only a sign if you read it that way. In that sense, anything after Jinny's refusal to leave the island could be both a sign or a normal occurence, and that duality - the possibility of multiple readings - lent both insight and intrigue to the story's second half. In that sense, the book seemed both realistic -- something that nature could conceivably throw at the orphans -- and fantastic, in that unseen forces are trying to push for Jinny's departure.

The main negatives that disrupted the reading were a strange baby-like language that Ess used, Loo's inhumane behavior tearing apart a sea star, and Jinny's incessant internal dialogue obsessing over Deen. It would have been nice if Ess didn't talk like such a baby (she's not that far removed from the elders, who speak normally), or if the author didn't constantly refer to Loo like a wild animal. Sometimes, it felt as if the story were being told from the viewpoint of a middle-aged mother, at least in how much surprise was interjected into describing Loo's child-like energy. Also, I wanted to look up to Jinny for her challenges raising Ess and fighting her own desire to stay, but her constant daydreaming of days past with Deen clouded the narrative and gave the story an unnecessarily wistful romantic feel.


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Orphan Island edition by Laurel Snyder Children eBooks Reviews

I really enjoyed the book, however, it left a lot of unanswered questions, I'm hoping there will be a sequel so we can find out why, and what happens next.
Jinny lives on a mysterious island shrouded in mist. There are eight other children with her, all a year apart in age. The island is a paradise. The fruits are all edible, the snakes won't bite and the bees won't sting, if you jump off one of the cliffs the wind will carry you safely to the ground, and everyday their fishing nets come up with a enormous load of fish. They have everything they could need. Only one thing makes the day-to-day cycle diffrent- once a year a boat comes and takes away the oldest child and brings another child, to young to remember anything about their previous life, to the island. This year Jinny is the oldest child, the Elder, and it is her turn to go.
This book is AMAZING I think its one of the best books I've ever read. If you expect to find out the secret of the island and what happens, don't read this. Just accept that life goes on, and try to think up of the rest of the story for yourself.
This was an interesting concept for a story. It’s about growing up and growing out. The ending was seriously dissatisfying. Here comes a sequel.
I cringe at the idea that this might actually be on some school teacher's summer reading list as a suggested title for students to enjoy over their summer break.

I will admit the cover art drew me in. I will admit that it started off okay but soon began to plummet, never rising again to its potential.

[One frame of reference that I hold, that most upper elementary & middle school kids won't, is that I watched the television show LOST. I cannot help but compare this book with that show... an island, unexplained happenings, and the amount of time spent reading this book that I will never get back (and watched that TV series.) And yes, I know all about what the Lost show was *supposed* to be, what it was supposed to convey...it was still time I wasted on an incredibly dumb show.]

You can read more about the plot line of Orphan Island in other reviews as well as the actual book description. Just know that the questions that arise in your head while reading, those don't get resolved within the pages of this book. (Thus, the feeling of wasted time such as having watched all the seasons' episodes of Lost.)

There's a boat. Kids whine, kids cook, kids gather, kids follow "rules." Boat again. And then someone doesn't follow the supposed rules and it all goes to helloishious. More whining. More tears. Some blood. Some rain. And more with the boat. Then the book is over.

I'm all for working out literary devices and literary analysis but only for books that are worthy. Can't say that this is one of them. I can easily appreciate some good writing (I have a few passages highlighted which I may later return to edit & quote here) that stood out to me as good writing. I don't question that. I could imagine the setting and the happenings just fine from the author's chosen words. I just think it wasn't developed well; a handful more chapters might have saved it. Without those, though, the resolution felt rushed and, well, unresolved, making me wish I had never read it.
This story spoke to me on multiple levels

1.) At its outermost superficial story level, the plot interested me from the start. The strange and solemn custom of saying goodbye -- possibly forever -- to the eldest of the islanders provided a gripping, emotional scene.

2.) Just underneath the story arc, the character arc was convincing. Seeing nine children, each at a different point in his or her growth arc, provided a good sense of how quickly children grow, how quickly they change and adapt when put in extenuating circumstances. The fact that they also had varying personalities made them leap from the page, spiced up their interactions immensely. I also liked hearing about characters from the past, how previous islanders like Abby would try to send messages to the future. It was both primitive and resourceful at the same time, which made the mysteries that much more intriguing and page-turning.

3.) A layer deeper, the concept of mentoring the young -- almost parenthood-like -- shone through the story in how Jinny must manage Ess and then Loo. It spoke to the difficulties of parenthood, how much is unforeseen, how exhausting and rewarding it can be all at once. The way Ess reacted to Loo, bonded with Sam, and other interactions seemed realistic for siblings that must cope with a parent's divided attention. It would have been nice to see how Deen interacted with Sam, but Jinny's journey definitely echoed some of the difficulties new parents often express.

4.) The cycle of life -- how the old must leave and make way for the new, how the young must learn to leave the nest and find new friends when they outgrow their parents. The endless march of time. A lot of themes grew naturally from the premise of following rules, becoming self-sufficient and independent, learning on the fly, needing to bond with others of different ages and social ranks. I liked how Laurel Snyder was able to accomplish these relationships without resorting to bloodshed or fisticuffs (a.l.a Lord of the Flies).

5.) The event-based structure of the chapters kept the pages turning. Every day seemed to present some new, imaginative challenge, each believable and self-contained, such as hunting for honey, reading books, venturing onto the cliffs, or catching an inkfish. Kudos to the author for coming up with believable characters and creatures, from the inkfish providing ink for writing and making references to famous books such as Harry Potter and James and the Giant Peach without directly mentioning them by name. Very well done!

6.) Signs -- I liked how every sign could be interpreted or not interpreted, inviting the reader (along with Jinny) to make too much of some of the book's later events. For example, when the kids experience snow for the first time, we as readers almost want to see it as "the sky falling" like the nursery rhyme, but Jinny and Nat do a good job of noting that it's only a sign if you read it that way. In that sense, anything after Jinny's refusal to leave the island could be both a sign or a normal occurence, and that duality - the possibility of multiple readings - lent both insight and intrigue to the story's second half. In that sense, the book seemed both realistic -- something that nature could conceivably throw at the orphans -- and fantastic, in that unseen forces are trying to push for Jinny's departure.

The main negatives that disrupted the reading were a strange baby-like language that Ess used, Loo's inhumane behavior tearing apart a sea star, and Jinny's incessant internal dialogue obsessing over Deen. It would have been nice if Ess didn't talk like such a baby (she's not that far removed from the elders, who speak normally), or if the author didn't constantly refer to Loo like a wild animal. Sometimes, it felt as if the story were being told from the viewpoint of a middle-aged mother, at least in how much surprise was interjected into describing Loo's child-like energy. Also, I wanted to look up to Jinny for her challenges raising Ess and fighting her own desire to stay, but her constant daydreaming of days past with Deen clouded the narrative and gave the story an unnecessarily wistful romantic feel.