Orphan Island

A National Book Award Longlist title!

"A wondrous book, wise and wild and deeply true." -Kelly Barnhill, Newbery Medal-winning author of The Girl Who Drank the Moon

"This is one of those books that haunts you long after you read it. Thought-provoking and magical." -Rick Riordan, author of the Percy Jackson series

In the tradition of modern-day classics like Sara Pennypacker's Pax and Lois Lowry's The Giver comes a deep, compelling, heartbreaking, and completely one-of-a-kind novel about nine children who live on a mysterious island.

On the island, everything is perfect. The sun rises in a sky filled with dancing shapes; the wind, water, and trees shelter and protect those who live there; when the nine children go to sleep in their cabins, it is with full stomachs and joy in their hearts.

And only one thing ever changes: on that day, each year, when a boat appears from the mist upon the ocean carrying one young child to join them-and taking the eldest one away, never to be seen again.

Today's Changing is no different. The boat arrives, taking away Jinny's best friend, Deen, replacing him with a new little girl named Ess, and leaving Jinny as the new Elder. Jinny knows her responsibility now-to teach Ess everything she needs to know about the island, to keep things as they've always been.

But will she be ready for the inevitable day when the boat will come back-and take her away forever from the only home she's known?

"A unique and compelling story about nine children who live with no adults on a mysterious island. Anyone who has ever been scared of leaving their family will love this book" (from the Brightly.com review, which named Orphan Island a best book of 2017).

• Mysterious Island Setting: An idyllic world with dancing shapes in the sky, where the trees and water protect the children who live there... but the mist hides secrets.
• Leaving Home: Each year, a boat takes the eldest child away forever. Now it's Jinny's turn, and she isn't sure she's ready to leave everything she's ever known.
• Questioning the Rules: As the new Elder, Jinny must teach the youngest arrival, Ess, how to live on the island. But the more she teaches, the more she wonders if the rules are meant to be broken.
• Bittersweet Friendships: Jinny's best friend Deen is gone, and a new little girl has taken his place. A story about the families we make and the pain of saying goodbye.