Six kids board the Phoenix in Guam, but not because
they are going on a fancy boating trip. They’re all there for one reason-
because they have a lesson to learn. Their parents or the court system has
decided that the Charting a New Course program is what they need. A month on
the water learning to sail and getting in touch with nature is expected to
change all of them. Lyssa and Will are siblings, but JJ, Charla, Ian, and Luke
have never met. Getting to know each other is better than any time spent with
the first mate, who barks at them all the time and seems angry by everything
they do. After a terrible storm sends
the captain overboard and the ship starts taking on water the kids realize they
are in way over their heads. Waking to find the first mate has taken the life
boat and left them stranded makes them rise to the challenge. When an explosion
causes the ship to catch fire and sink they must do what they can to survive. Only
four of the kids are together and the fate of the other two is unknown. Did
they get off the sinking boat in time? Staying afloat on a piece of the
shipwreck is more work than the kids would have expected, and the thirst they
have is like nothing they've ever known. Landing on what appears to be a
deserted island seems like a stroke of good luck, but are they really alone? Do
they have the skills to survive? Can the kids can
be saved? Don’t wait to find out- go get this series!
What an action packed
series! If you like adventure and survival stories, and haven’t read the
Island series by Gordon Korman, then I highly recommend it for both boys
and girls. There are three books in the series: Shipwreck, Survival, and Escape.
The books are perfect for anyone in fourth grade and up. Not
only will you learn skills that may help you survive on your own, you will
be amazed at the ways the kids learn to believe in themselves. With so
many characters, there is sure to be someone readers will connect with, and reading
about them makes you see that there's more to people than we think. I was
rooting for the kids and felt worried, happy, sad, and scared
for them throughout the book. I hope I am never in a situation where I am
on a shipwreck, but it was entertaining to read about!
Has anyone else read the
Island series? Or have you read another book by Gordon Korman? We’d love
to hear your thoughts.
Happy Reading!
~L
