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jessica13zapata's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
3.0
thestarlesscasea's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
kice7788's review against another edition
3.0
This was cute! This is a kids graphic novel about Sola and her adventure to find the monster. It was a great story for kids. I loved how inclusive it was. I also loved the artistry throughout the novel. I just wish it went a little deeper but it’s a kids novel so I understand why it didn’t.
cimorene1558's review against another edition
5.0
Beautiful and thoughtful. I see some people have called it pointless, but I have never required a point in order to enjoy art, and this is art. Plus, I would say the point is that sometimes adventure is enough. You don't always have to solve mysteries and kill monsters for it to have been worthwhile.
rkiladitis's review against another edition
4.0
Sola lives as an outcast within her small community on an island. She is cursed - that's what everyone says - because a Monster came to the Island when Sola was a child; everyone around her ran, but Sola alone stood before it, and it reached out to her. The destruction left in the monster's wake, coupled with its interest in Sola sealed it: the rest of the Island branded her. As Sola reaches adolescence, she's curious: what drew the Monster to her? Tired of living with everyone's fear, and wanting answers, Sola leaves the island, taking to the open water. As she travels, she discovers that the Island isn't alone: there are new lands and people to meet.
Island Book is Sola's story. A quietly strong female protagonist, she faces adversity at home and has a curious streak that contributes to her own community's distrust and fear of her. The plot meanders on a bit in spots, but is mostly a solid story about courage and curiosity; about friendship and working together, and about opening oneself up to new ideas and experiences. The characters are humanoid but not human; the artwork is bright and the nature is beautifully depicted.
The first in a new series, Island Book is a good choice for middle grade book discussion groups, too. Ask kids if they've ever felt like Sola, unable to change someone's mind or looked down on because of their age. Does Sola do the right thing by going off on her own? Would Sola's community encourage relationships with other beings?
There's a soundtrack for Island Book available, along with two books of development artwork, through author Evan Dahm's website. There's a great review by the AV Club here.
Island Book is Sola's story. A quietly strong female protagonist, she faces adversity at home and has a curious streak that contributes to her own community's distrust and fear of her. The plot meanders on a bit in spots, but is mostly a solid story about courage and curiosity; about friendship and working together, and about opening oneself up to new ideas and experiences. The characters are humanoid but not human; the artwork is bright and the nature is beautifully depicted.
The first in a new series, Island Book is a good choice for middle grade book discussion groups, too. Ask kids if they've ever felt like Sola, unable to change someone's mind or looked down on because of their age. Does Sola do the right thing by going off on her own? Would Sola's community encourage relationships with other beings?
There's a soundtrack for Island Book available, along with two books of development artwork, through author Evan Dahm's website. There's a great review by the AV Club here.
shea_proulx's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
grid's review against another edition
5.0
A short read because there are relatively few words, I really enjoyed this story. The art style is relatively simple, but beautiful, and I really liked how there were different kinds of people in all the different places. (Both in terms of how they looked, but also in how the acted and their cares and motivations.)
Will read more in this series!
Will read more in this series!
emmaprew's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.5
My second Evan Dahm book. He manages to tell incredibly moving stories with very few words. Absolutely beautiful illustrations. The colours especially are stunning.
lissystrata's review against another edition
3.0
It definitely gives you a lot to think about. A girl, cursed because of a monster outside of her control, and the friends she picks up along the way. All of them want to find the monster. To kill it? To see it? To just get some answers?
This was very enjoyable and would be a good read for older kids, mainly because it's very...well, it doesn't spell everything out for the reader and leaves a lot of room for thinking. Which is nice.
I especially liked the world of nothing but oceans and islands, each bit of land with its own culture and population.
This was very enjoyable and would be a good read for older kids, mainly because it's very...well, it doesn't spell everything out for the reader and leaves a lot of room for thinking. Which is nice.
I especially liked the world of nothing but oceans and islands, each bit of land with its own culture and population.