Books
Island
Island by Mark Janssen
(Lemniscaat, 2018, 32 pages)
Shipwreck! A father, daughter and their dog wash up on a small island. Little do the castaways know that the island isn’t what it seems at all.
The island shows the family the wonders of life at sea. Colourful fish dart in the waves and birds swoop in the sky. Island life is full of the unexpected. The island protects the family against all kinds of dangers, from tropical storms to arctic snow. Menacing animals lurk underwater, too. The island has its own secret, too. Eventually, the family is rescued. And there’s a heart-warming surprise when the little girl says farewell to the large kind turtle – the real island – whose shell has provided the family with their happy island home.
Island is a wordless picture book. Children are encouraged to study the wonderful illustrations and tell the story in their own words. Mark Janssen’s painterly illustrations come alive on the page. Sun hits the water and sparkles. Splashes of paint become shoals of fish. This is a charming picture book full of imagination.