Nara and the Island

Nara and the Island

Nara lives with her father on a tiny island and dreams of visiting the island across the waves. So when she gets the opportunity to visit the mysterious island, an amazing adventure unfolds. This stunning story is the debut of exciting author-illustrator talent Dan Ungureanu. 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 "A heartening story about exploration, bravery, and making new friends."― Booklist "Ungureanu's debut picture book shows the beauty of island living through the eyes of a child. . . . A charming addition for one-on-one and small group sharing that offers plenty to talk, think, and write about."― School Library Journal "[A] magic-tinged . . . haunting, slightly surreal story that speaks to the rewards of both independence and companionship."― Publishers Weekly "Nara's homely face is reminiscent of Maurice Sendak's work, adding to the book's overall nostalgic and somewhat otherworldly feel. . . . Superficially sweet, with sophisticated undercurrents. . . ."― Kirkus Reviews Dan Ungureanu has always loved drawing. He studied art in his native country of Romania, and recently graduated from Cambridge School of Art with an MA in children's book illustration. Nara and the Island is his author-illustrator debut.