Nara and the Island

September 5, 2016
In a magic-tinged story about finding unexpected connections, Romanian-British illustrator Ungureanu introduces a redheaded girl who finds life a bit tame on the island where she lives with her father. Her attitude is understandable: the island is scarcely larger than the home they share, “so small, you can’t lose anything,” as Nara’s father puts it. In a sequence of panels, Nara imagines traveling to a nearby island covered with dense foliage—“I could ask the birds to fly my there”—but reality proves simpler as her father takes her there in their newly fixed boat. Ungureanu laces his tale with vague, enticing details (Nara’s father’s work involves a giant fish glimpsed in the waters below); upon reaching the other island, Nara meets a boy who’s similar to her in some ways and her opposite in others (his name, Aran, is the reverse of hers, and he longs for the simplicity and quiet of her island). The muted palette, smudgy line work, and somewhat unexplained nature of Nara’s situation add up to a haunting, slightly surreal story that speaks to the rewards of both independence and companionship. Ages 4–9.

October 1, 2016

K-Gr 2-Nara lives on a tiny, treeless island with a population of two: the girl and her father. Aran lives on a tropical island dense with trees and animals, with his mom and two younger siblings. A whale-size fish lives in the water that surrounds the two locales. When Nara's father repairs their rowboat, he and his daughter go exploring, searching for the large fish, and Nara visits Aran's island for the first time. The children are able to experience the adventure and escape they always longed for. Ungureanu's debut picture book shows the beauty of island living through the eyes of a child. The lovely islands look like fun places to visit, and the views from the shorelines inspire creative thinking (emptying the sea with bottles) and bravery (searching for a legendary huge fish). VERDICT A charming addition for one-on-one and small group sharing that offers plenty to talk, think, and write about.-Tanya Boudreau, Cold Lake Public Library, Alta., Canada

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

A young girl explores a nearby island and discovers a surprise.Nara, a red-haired, fair-skinned girl, lives with her equally pale father on an island "so small you can't lose anything." From the secret place she goes to when she wants to get lost, Nara dreams of visiting a nearby island she can see. Then one day her father fixes their boat and drops her off to explore the island while he rows in search of the Big Fish. (The giant fish is shown in the endpapers in an overhead view, with an odd and unsettling addition on the back endpapers of three people floating near it.) Ungureanu's illustrations are rendered in muted colors evocative of early-20th-century illustrated books and have an Alice's Adventures in Wonderland feel to them as he shows Nara exploring the exotic island that is so much wilder than her own. Nara's homely face is reminiscent of Maurice Sendak's work, adding to the book's overall nostalgic and somewhat otherworldly feel. When Nara meets Aran, a blond, fair boy who lives on the wild island (and whose name is Nara spelled backward), they share confidences and become friends. Readers may wish for an ending with more obvious oomph, but there are strong undercurrents of doppelganger here that give the story an extra twist. Superficially sweet, with sophisticated undercurrents that young readers won't grasp. (Picture book. 4-8) COPYRIGHT(1) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

August 1, 2016
A young girl explores a nearby island and discovers a surprise.Nara, a red-haired, fair-skinned girl, lives with her equally pale father on an island so small you cant lose anything. From the secret place she goes to when she wants to get lost, Nara dreams of visiting a nearby island she can see. Then one day her father fixes their boat and drops her off to explore the island while he rows in search of the Big Fish. (The giant fish is shown in the endpapers in an overhead view, with an odd and unsettling addition on the back endpapers of three people floating near it.) Ungureanu's illustrations are rendered in muted colors evocative of early-20th-century illustrated books and have an Alices Adventures in Wonderland feel to them as he shows Nara exploring the exotic island that is so much wilder than her own. Naras homely face is reminiscent of Maurice Sendaks work, adding to the books overall nostalgic and somewhat otherworldly feel. When Nara meets Aran, a blond, fair boy who lives on the wild island (and whose name is Nara spelled backward), they share confidences and become friends. Readers may wish for an ending with more obvious oomph, but there are strong undercurrents of doppelgnger here that give the story an extra twist. Superficially sweet, with sophisticated undercurrents that young readers wont grasp. (Picture book. 4-8)

COPYRIGHT(2016) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

October 15, 2016
Grades K-2 My home is so small, you can't lose anything. At least, that's what my dad says. / But sometimes I felt like getting lost. Itching for adventure, Nara is bored of her little island and imagines ways to reach the other island. Finally, her dad catches on and plans an adventure to find the Big Fish that circles their island. Dad drops Nara off at the other island, and while he explores the ocean, she explores the land she's been gazing at from afar. It's full of wondrous things, like giant plants and creatures she's never seen before, but the best part is when she meets a boy her own age, who has been similarly gazing at and dreaming about Nara's island. Ungureanu uses soft colors and fine lines to create this whimsical fantasy world, and the lush, tropical greenery of the new island is packed with details to spot in the background (though some might wonder why the only family on a tropical island is white). A heartening story about exploration, bravery, and making new friends.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)