• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Baby + Toddler (0-2)
  • Pre-K (3-5)
  • Beginning Readers (6-7)
  • Growing Readers (7-9)
  • Tweens (10-12)
Happily Ever Elephants
Happily Ever Elephants

Happily Ever Elephants

The Best Kids Books Found Here!

  • Home
  • Book Lists
  • Kids Book Clubs
  • Winter Books
  • About
  • Home
  • Baby + Toddler (0-2)
  • Pre-K (3-5)
  • Beginning Readers (6-7)
  • Growing Readers (7-9)
  • Tweens (10-12)
Books by Age » 10-12 » Orphan Island, by Laurel Snyder

Orphan Island, by Laurel Snyder

By Lauren Bercuson ·  Published: Jun 27, 2017 ·  Modified: Aug 27, 2022 ·  This post may contain affiliate links


Who am I? Where did I come from? When does childhood end and the next phase begin? These are just some of the perplexing questions our children grapple with from the time they are young– but in all honesty, do these questions ever really go away? Do we ever stop wondering who we are, and when and how the next chapter of our lives will unfold?

These are the issues the protagonist in Laurel Snyder’s startlingly beautiful new novel, Orphan Island, ponders throughout the story. Young Jinny is one of nine children — orphans, to be exact–  living on a mysterious, idyllic island. Don’t be fooled, though.  While all seems perfect in paradise, there is one day of the year when a strange green boat glides to the shore to drop off a new child… and take the oldest one away. When Jinny’s best friend Deen is taken at this “Changing,” Jinny suddenly becomes the group’s “elder” and must care for the new arrival. Jinny knows her responsibilities as the oldest kid on the island, but will she abide by the “rules” as she counts down to the inevitable arrival of the green boat to take her away, or will she buck tradition and mess up the island’s peace in the process?

RELATED: Looking for more tween books? Happily Ever Elephants has you covered!

Orphan Island is a meditation on growing up — on what happens when we ask tough questions and realize we may never get answers. It is thoughtful, wise and, perhaps more importantly, unwavering in its honesty. Jinny is a narrator we root for- but one who is also, at times, a bit unlikable. Yet even as we may disapprove of certain actions she takes or choices she makes, we never cease to understand her motivations.  Smack dab in the middle of that awkward transition between childhood and adolescence, Jinny is undoubtedly flawed.  Her flaws, though, make her story all the more compelling.  She is the reason you will fall into Orphan Island and not be able to put it down. Her internal dissonance – fear of losing the island’s stability while simultaneously yearning for something beyond its stagnancy – will strike a chord and resonate with your children who will relate to her innermost thoughts and longings. Orphan Island is contemplative, lyrical, and a brilliant study in character. A must read for your tweens.

Want the book? Get it here! Orphan Island, by Laurel Snyder.  *This is an affiliate link.  We received a copy of this book from the publisher, but all opinions are our own.

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email

10-12

« Previous PostJabari Jumps, Courage, and Being Patient with Fear
Next Post »Cyclone, by Doreen Cronin

OTHER POSTS YOU MAY LIKE:

  • 10-12

    Harbor Me, by Jacqueline Woodson
  • 10-12

    Books for Better: Books to Evoke Change
  • 10-12

    Where the Watermelons Grow, by Cindy Baldwin

Never Miss a Happily Ever Elephants Newsletter!

Join our community and discover 28 Unforgettable Books to Make Storytime Magical and Meaningful.

Thank you for subscribing!

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Welcome to Happily Ever Elephants!

Lauren

Hi! I’m Lauren. I’m a boy mom, former attorney, current elementary school librarian, and moderator of book clubs for kids around the country. My goal is to make storytime with your children both magical and meaningful. Welcome! LEARN MORE 

AS FEATURED IN

Good Housekeeping

Winter Books

10+ Valentine’s Day Books for Kids!

Children’s Books About Martin Luther King, Jr.

The Cutest Children’s Books About Penguins

The Best Lunar New Year Read-Aloud Books!

SEE ALL WINTER BOOKS

Popular Posts

kindergarten-read-alouds

These Kindergarten Read Alouds Will Wow Kids!

The covers of 9 of the best books for 10 year olds.

The Best Books for 10-Year-Olds To Excite Your Kids!

The cover of Gossie with some rubber ducks, a great book for 2 year olds.

The Best Books for 2-Year-Olds Your Reader Will Love!

beginning-reader-books

The Ultimate List of the Best Books for Beginning Readers!

JOIN OUR BOOK CLUB

Browse by Age

BABY + TODDLER (0-2)
PRE-K (3-5)
BEGINNING READER (6-7)
GROWING READER (7-9)
TWEENS (10-12)
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Footer

Don’t miss a single book.

Join our community and discover 28 Unforgettable Books to Make Storytime Magical and Meaningful.

Thank you for subscribing!

Buy the Books

The best virtual book clubs for kids. Why read alone when we can read together?

JOIN NOW!

Copyright © 2023 ·  Happily Ever Elephants LLC ·  Review Policies & Disclosures ·  Accessibility ·  Website by Anchored Design

0 shares