An Unusual Island

An Unusual Island is the story of two teenage twins, Janine and Justin. Told from Janine’s point of view, her family is on a cruise in their private boat, but gets stuck on a mysterious island. Justin goes off with his Dad to find someone to help, while Janine stays with her Mom, trying to set up camp. While Justin and his dad are gone, Janine and her mother spot a strange creature running past them. When Justin and his dad come back they decided to keep their distance from the creature and eventually fall asleep. But after that, strange things start happening. Food appears out of nowhere, and gourmet meals are placed in front of them. Janine and Justin get curious after they see another creature running past and decide to follow it.

They are then met by a large pack of bird-like people, and a family of three introduces themselves as Martin (the father), Teal (the mother), and their son Jay. These peculiar people immediately welcome the siblings and tell them that they’ve already brought their parents in as well. The family is treated like they’re in a 5-star resort, eating great food and exploring the island daily. With Jay serving as the twin’s tour guide, they meet dinosaurs, dolphins, and bears that Jay communicates with through telepathy. Everything seems amazing on this wonderful island, but what happens when Janine and Justin find out they might not be as nice as they seem? Find out why this family is being treated with royalty, because it may not just be good hospitality.

I think An Unusual Island is a good book, with a thoughtful, yet not-difficult-to-follow plotline. I did think, however, that it somewhat lacks originality. While I didn’t find it hard to predict what was going to happen, the plot twists weren’t all that surprising. But, overall, it’s a fun read. This book would most likely be good for 9-11 year olds. I give An Unusual Island 4 out of 5 stars.