Scan barcode
mjenae's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
5.0
I already love this series.
"Stranded on an island together" is one of my favorite tropes of all times, so I'm not surprised that I'm so into this story. There's a lot of emotion, a lot of action, and steady but strong character development—all in 144 pages. Oh, and Mr. Korman has already made me laugh out loud once or twice. I can't say what outsiders would think of this, but if you're in the GK fan club, do please give these a try. They'll be worth your time.
"Stranded on an island together" is one of my favorite tropes of all times, so I'm not surprised that I'm so into this story. There's a lot of emotion, a lot of action, and steady but strong character development—all in 144 pages. Oh, and Mr. Korman has already made me laugh out loud once or twice. I can't say what outsiders would think of this, but if you're in the GK fan club, do please give these a try. They'll be worth your time.
betag1013's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
tense
fast-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
3.75
Content Warnings
Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Grief, and Vomit
certainlysad's review against another edition
Meh. I didn’t want to stress myself to finish before the school year ends.
protoman21's review against another edition
4.0
Gordon Korman impresses me again! I have loved his books since I was a kid, and have read a few of his newer titles off and on since, and though they have always entertained me, they never quite captured the magic that the ones I read as a kid did. Shipwreck did that for me. Though the story isn't new, and the characters aren't developed too much yet, the complete package is an exciting ride that is packed with real danger. I've read a lot of fantasy stories where there is action action action and people even die, but much of it passes over me like mindless movie mayhem, but Korman uses an economy of words to perfectly capture a tense moment and keep you on the edge of your seat. Starting the second book immediately!
michellehenriereads's review against another edition
4.0
There are a large number of fantasy books for tween readers that have been written since the Harry Potter series. My kids have had a harder time finding series that feel more realistic that they enjoy. The Island series by Korman was written in 2001 and is realistic. (Ok, actually Korman has the characters note how unlikely it is that all these tragic events would happen to them, so it really could be called a fantasy, but there are no dragons, magic or supernatural phenomenon.)
I was glad to see that Korman wasn’t re-writing Lord of the Flies or creating a new Robinson Crusoe.
Each catastrophe brings the survivors closer to death. I believe young readers will be on the edge of their seats. I laughed over...
To read the full review go to www.talesuntangled.wordpress.com
I was glad to see that Korman wasn’t re-writing Lord of the Flies or creating a new Robinson Crusoe.
Each catastrophe brings the survivors closer to death. I believe young readers will be on the edge of their seats. I laughed over...
To read the full review go to www.talesuntangled.wordpress.com
coinchantal's review against another edition
3.0
An okay adventure story about some shipwrecked kids. The writer was pushing for great grammar and words which put me off at the start. Still not a bad read for the weekend and kids.
booksong's review against another edition
4.0
I have my 4th grade teacher to thank for reading this book aloud to us in class...the adventure immediately swept me up.
Luke Haggerty is on a boat trip he never wanted to be on...a correctional journey for problem kids that need work to whip them into shape. But Luke is innocent, falsely accused of stashing a gun in his locker. His fellow crew members are no better off...Will and Lissa, whose sibling rivalry is ferociously violent, Ian, who watched too much TV, Charla, who was too into sports training, and JJ, the spoiled movie star's son. But when circumstance throws them together, not only on the boat journey but on a terrible shipwreck, they are going to have to get along and use their unique talents, or die.
The parts at the beginning are a little slow, but everything picks up from there, and the other two books continue this exciting saga. Gordon Korman is great at writing these adventure tales, making sure that his characters are strong, but still very real.
Luke Haggerty is on a boat trip he never wanted to be on...a correctional journey for problem kids that need work to whip them into shape. But Luke is innocent, falsely accused of stashing a gun in his locker. His fellow crew members are no better off...Will and Lissa, whose sibling rivalry is ferociously violent, Ian, who watched too much TV, Charla, who was too into sports training, and JJ, the spoiled movie star's son. But when circumstance throws them together, not only on the boat journey but on a terrible shipwreck, they are going to have to get along and use their unique talents, or die.
The parts at the beginning are a little slow, but everything picks up from there, and the other two books continue this exciting saga. Gordon Korman is great at writing these adventure tales, making sure that his characters are strong, but still very real.