Orphan Island

Orphan Island
Laurel Snyder
Walden Pond/HarperCollins, 2017 269 pages
Grades 5-8
Adventure/Fantasy

Jinny has lived as far back as she can remember on an island inhabited by nine children. Every year a new very small child appears in a boat and the oldest child must get in the boat and go back to no-one really knows where. The next child in line becomes the leader or "Elder" and is responsible for the newest member of the clan. When the boat comes to take away Jinny's best friend Deen she is beside herself. Only the new responsibility of taking care of young Ess seems to make the loss of her dear friend seem manageable. As the year progresses Ginny begins to have strange dream, feelings, and behaviors. She knows her time is near, yet is resistant, refusing to teach the next in line the lessons required for becoming the Elder. Besides, how will Ess survive without her? Finally a year passes and the boat returns and in it is a new small child. Will Jinny do what tradition demands and get in the boat only to return to she knows not where or will she carve a different path. What will happen if the system is questioned?

I did not initially buy this book because I had it confused with an old book called Baby Island, which was one of the few books owned by my pokey childhood library and I read that book about five times. It was a pretty good book, but I am over it. This is not a reboot of Baby Island, but a highly original and well conceived tale that will ignite a spark in the reader's imagination. Why are these kids alone on the island and who is sending them/taking them back? Jinny finds a letter written by a long-ago inhabitant that leaves some clues, but not the whole story, leading me to think that perhaps a sequel is in the works. When Jinny finally gets in the boat (apologies for the spoiler) the book ends and we never find out where she lands. I both love and hate this ending, which is reminiscent of The Giver. I almost hope that Snyder never gives us the answer so we can ponder the possibilities. Orphan Island is part adventure story/part coming of age/part dystopian. It really doesn't fit neatly in a box and is a truly unique offering. Readers of both genders will enjoy the story and the cover is ambiguous enough that boys will not immediately know that the main character is a girl and will possibly give it a try. Readers will identify with Jinny, who struggles with change, growing up, and loss of control, even if her living situation is not relatable. There is a part towards the end of the book where Jinny gets her period for the first time and doesn’t know what it is and is scared, making this book not a great choice for younger elementary students, who may be disturbed like Jinny. This selection is popping up on many possible Newbery lists and it most certainly is a contender as its clearly one of the best books I have read this year for young people.