Orphan Island

Orphan Island by Laurel Snyder is a new middle-school title that will stay with you long after the last page. On a beautiful island, nine children live without adults or parents. Every year a boat mysteriously appears to the shores of the island bringing a young boy or girl. As the young child is the newest resident of the island, the oldest child now departs. It is the job of the oldest child (the ‘Elder’) to watch after and teach the youngest new arrival (the ‘Care’). The nine have all they need to eat. There is a book cabin supplied with books and eight cabins to live in. As the book begins, Deen (the current Elder) is departing as Ess (the new Care) is arriving. Jinny is now the new Elder in charge of Ess. She misses Deen and finds taking care of Ess to be a harder job than she thought it would be. Slowly, Jinny and Ess bond, but as time passes Jinny anticipates with dread the next boat to come. She doesn’t want to follow the rules and leave the island, the only home she remembers. When the boat arrives with the new Care, Jinny decides she will break the rules and stay on the island. Where do these young children come from? What happens to the Elder children after they leave the island? These questions and many more are considered in “Orphan Island.”