Shipwreck Island

May 26, 2014
The Swiss Family Robinson gets a modern makeover in this series opener, Bodeen’s (The Raft) first for middle-grade readers. Twelve-year-old Sarah Robinson is stunned when her father remarries after a whirlwind courtship and extremely reluctant to accept her new stepmother or stepbrothers—12-year-old Marco and 10-year-old Nacho—who are equally unhappy with the arrangement. They’re forced to coexist when their parents take them all on a cruise among the islands off Fiji, a vacation that swiftly turns into a comedy of errors. Things get worse when a storm shipwrecks them on a deserted island, which turns out to be full of mysterious dangers and inexplicable events, such as an abandoned and possibly haunted house and creatures that shouldn’t exist. There are no answers to be found, though, as this first book is almost entirely setup and worldbuilding, ending with little resolution. The point-of-view characters are well-rendered, but readers may tire of the constant squabbling and resentment. A fine start that depends on the strength of the books yet to come. Ages 10–13. Agent: Scott Mendel, Mendel Media Group.

May 1, 2014
The first in a series, a contemporary castaway tale featuring a blended family.Twelve-year-old Sarah Robinson (yes, shades of Swiss Family Robinson) is upset: Her father has remarried (he met his new wife, Yvonna Murillo, through online dating). Now Sarah's stuck with stepbrothers Marco (Sarah's age) and his little brother, Nacho. Marco's equally unhappy about moving from Texas to Southern California. When the newlyweds decide to skip their honeymoon in lieu of an all-family cruise, the kids soon face bigger problems than merging food preferences and family traditions. Alternating chapters punctuated with plentiful dialogue move briskly, offering readers Sarah's and Marco's reactions to an increasingly surreal adventure. It begins when they board the sketchy Moonflight, manned by an understaffed Capt. Norm (his first mate is a Newfoundland called Ahab), and escalates with a sudden storm that maroons them off a lush tropical island. Sarah and Marco glimpse strange creatures, suggesting trouble lurks in paradise (they must climb trees to avoid giant coconut-eating crabs). Sarah and Marco's shared sense of danger ultimately transforms them from inconvenienced, contrary preteens to wary allies facing threats no one (including readers) understands: The book ends abruptly and on an ominous note, with a "smear of red" in the sky and many unanswered questions.More tantalizing appetizer than full entree, this book will leave readers hungry for a second helping. (Adventure. 10-13)

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May 1, 2014

Gr 4-7-In this exciting series debut, 12-year-old Sarah Robinson responds with ill-grace to her father's remarriage after six years as a widower. She is unfriendly to her two stepbrothers, younger Nacho and Marco, her own age. She's even worse to her stepmother. In an effort to bring everyone closer, her dad and stepmom opt to book a family honeymoon on a luxury yacht. A terrible storm, loss of the skipper, and subsequent landing on an island that initially appears inviting but quickly proves otherworldly and dangerous, cause the warring kids to reluctantly work together. These very human protagonists respond in believable ways to their new family situation while encountering freakish animals, bizarrely dangerous weather, and a creepy, empty house. This is intensely readable and will be excellent for reluctant readers. Should be popular with fans of adventure, fantasy, and the slightly sinister.-B. Allison Gray, Goleta Public Library, CA

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2014
Grades 3-6 Angry doesn't quite cover how 12-year-old Sarah feels when her dad marries a gold-digging flight attendant and moves his new wife and her two sons into their house. On the flip side of the coin, Marco is resentful that he and his little brother have to leave their lives in Texas because their mom was duped into marrying some guy who dazzled her with his money. Now, as if only to intensify the misery, they are all being forced to take a let's-get-to-know-one-another family vacation aboard a private boat, making avoidance of one another impossible. When a fierce storm leaves them shipwrecked, it soon becomes apparent that something is off with their tropical refuge. Alternating between Sarah's and Marco's perspectives, narrative tensions run high as the kids try to adjust to their new life and the stress of their disastrous vacation. A brisk and simple read, this adventure just gets going when the book comes to an end, leaving the story wide open for a sequel.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)