'The Island'

When emotionally pressured do people seek help from odd places?

By James M.

The book The Island by award winning author of Hatchet and many more, Gary Paulsen writes an immersive adventure tale about the coming of age of a young boy named Wil Neuton.Wil is forced to move to wisconsin because his father accepted a job there. While exploring the back roads of his new town he finds a lake with a small island in the middle.Upon arrival to the island he immediately falls in love but soon after intruders start to come to the island. This startles Wil because he views the island as his best friend, parent, and so much more.

 

Overall the book is a great read. However for an adventure book it did not keep me on my toes like paulsens other books have, this is because I could predict what was coming next. I did like how paulsen brought in surrounding characters to the story because it helped me understand how upset wil truly is. the book has a well structured plot but some parts just seemed to drag on and on and not end up to be critical to the book at all. The book starts off slow but has enough good and eye catching parts to want to keep you reading. The story is also relatable because of the way way wil seeks help from the island, that's relatable to children who may seek help from a stuffed animal when something scares them. 

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes stories about coming of age or soft adventure. you should read this book because it also gives a new appreciation to respect what people love or what makes them feel better regardless of what you think of it. this book is good for all ages and can be found at the local library or as an e-book online. This book may be also more attractive to those who have undergone a dramatic move to a new place.