Island [School & Library Binding]

Gary Paulsen (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1990

FOR USE IN SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES ONLY. Every morning 14-year-old Will Newton gets up, leaves the house, and rows away from shore to the island he's discovered, a place where he can go to be alone.

--This text refers to the Library Binding edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The island is in the middle of a small lake in northern Wisconsin. It is uninhabited until the summer Wilstet, who is 15, arrives. Wil is at first drawn by the simplicity of the place, but as his concentration sharpens the island unfolds its matrix of life and death, mirroring the unfolding layers of Wil's self-consciousness. He fills notebooks with watercolors and writes essays about what he sees, feels, remembers and observes within. He decides to stay, Thoreau-like, supported by his new friend Susan, even though the worldanxious parents, town bullies, and a curious pressoccasionally intrudes. His serenity finally becomes fascinating. This could have been another back-to-nature story, but Newbery Honor writer Paulsen tells Wil's inner journey with a confident lyricism that duplicates Wil's emotional qualities. The somewhat forced plot elements are secondary to the author's purposehis spareness, repetition and use of rhythm gives his language intensity while holding out to readers the promise of all-too-elusive clarity. Ages 11-14.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Grade 9-12 Fifteen-year-old Wil Neuton is forced to leave Madison for the upper reaches of Wisconsin when his ne'er-do-well father takes a position with the state highway department. Wil leaves behind the security of old friends and old crushes. In the course of adjusting to his new environment, he discovers an uninhabited island sitting in the middle of Sucker Lake. It is on this island that Wil chooses to emulate ``The Thinker'' by Rodin and learn more about himself. In this strangely different coming-of-age novel, Paulsen is not clear enough in leading readers down the path of humor. And a joke is not a successful joke if it is on the reader rather than a shared adventure. Therefore, what might have been a funny take-off on adolescent angst does not quite work. There are hints along the wayfor example, the lake's name and Emil Aucht, the tobacco-spitting handy man. But the plausible does not become implausible enough until late in the novel. By then readers have something in common with the name of the lake ``on which the island lay.'' Therese Bigelow, Hampton Public Library, Va.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• School & Library Binding
• Publisher: Rebound by Sagebrush (April 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0833542524
• ISBN-13: 978-0833542526
• Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 4.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (43 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,586,388 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Gary Paulsen is one of the most honored writers of contemporary literature for young readers. He has written more than one hundred book for adults and young readers, and is the author of three Newberry Honor titles: Dogsong, Hatchet, and The Winter Room. He divides his time among Alaska, New Mexico, Minnesota, and the Pacific.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best book I ever read, May 4, 2005

A Kid's Review

This review is from: The Island (Mass Market Paperback)

The boy goes out to a small island almost directly in the center of a lake by his new home where he doesn't have any friends yet.While he is out there he draws and paints.But then a girl comes, and he becomes friends with her.Then back in civilization,people find out about him being by himself on an island,and news reporters come and everything changes.

This book lets you get into all of the boy's emotions and everything he thinks.He experiences new things and learns new things about himself and life.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Adventure= The Island!, December 16, 1999

By 

"lildjbrain" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Island (Hardcover)

Aaron Dolezal P. 3

Amazon.Com Response

If you like a book that is chock full of imagery and a plot that slowly develops throughout the story. Then, The Island by Gary Paulsen published in 1986 is for you. Every single one of Paulsen's books is amazing and the way he writes just brings you right into the story and makes you a part of it. The Island is widely available just about at any bookstore. I recommend picking it up! In addition, Paulsen does something special in this book with the main character Will Neuton. At the beginning of each chapter, he includes quotes from Wil Neuton that foreshadow the oncoming of the chapter or reflect on things back in his hometown. The quotes seem to further the story and add more meaning and depth to it.

The genre of the book is a mixed bag of adventure, comedy, and a bit of romance thrown in there. When, Will meets a local girl from the area and as the story goes on. They fall in love but a wrench is thrown into it when Will finds the island but, I do not want to give too much away so I will stop there!

I've noticed in all of Paulsen's books he likes to have a slow moving plot they slowly develops with each chapter, ending with a big payoff at the end of the book. That style I have come to love in Paulsen's books. This helps to keep the reader interested throughout the book. The Island in three sentences eh? Well, it starts with Will Neuton and his parents living in Colorado. Then, unexpectedly his dad comes home and says they have to move to Wisconsin. Will objects but it happens anyway. Then, one day Will stumbles onto the Island and he is drawn to it throughout the book but his parents think he is becoming crazy. I think the parents serving as a protagonist to Will and The Island works well because they're very real dissension's that parents and kids go there everyday. Therefore, anyone could relate to this book!

The way Paulsen writes adventure into book increases the reader's chance of becoming interested in the story and relating to it more. Mary Tyrese banks, author of Indian in the Cupboard to me does not do a good job of writing adventure into books. She seems to put useless detail in place that is NOT needed. Also, the adventure seems to jump around from place to place in the book and it seems to have no order and meaning to it all. It seems like she just threw it in there and said ok this looks good.

The Island is one heck of a model for writers of all ages. Paulsen has a distinct style to his work that could not be duplicated by anyone. In addition, the way Paulsen has used two word titles for many of his books helps to get readers interested. For example, when I first saw the Island a slew of images came into my head, and it made me want to pick up the book up and check it out. In addition, as you can see I ended up loving it and Paulsen became my favorite author. The plot of the Island could be easily related to by anyone that has been a kid so everyone could relate to this book. Everyone has gone through dissension with their parents and wanted to get away from them for awhile. In short, that is what the Island is all about. One quote that stands for the Island? " The island sat in the middle of the lake waiting for Will and it seemed to find him." It is amazing how Paulsen give human qualities to the Island almost as if it is a long lost sister waiting him for him to come home.

The Island is defitnely for everyone. If you want to feel like a kid again then read The Island! If you love adventure and feel like nobody is going through what you are going through with your parents then read the Island. Or, if you just love a book with exceptional imagery and a slow developing plot then the Island is for you!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars IN TOUCH WITH THE NATURE., May 31, 2001

A Kid's Review

This review is from: The Island (Mass Market Paperback)

IMAGINE HAVING A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN RELAX AND GET OUT OF TROUBLE. THIS HAPPENED TO A FIFTEEN-YEAR-OLD BOY, WIL. HIS FATHER WORKS FOR THE HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT AND THE COMPANY OFFERED A NEW JOB OUTSIDE OF THE CITY. HE ACCEPTS IT. ONE DAY WIL WAS RIDING ON HIS BICYCLE WHEN HE SAW A ISLAND THAT WAS LIKE A MAGNET TRYING TO ATTRACT HIM TO IT. HE FINALLY GOES TO THE ISLAND HE RELAXES, PAINTS, AND WRITE ABOUT NATURE THE MOVEMENTS OF THE ANIMALS AND FILLINGS.

IM A GARY PAULSEN FAN BUT I THINK THAT THIS IS NOT ONE OF HIS BEST WRITTEN BOOKS. I SPECIALLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK FOR PEOPLE WHO LIKE NATURE AND THE POWERFUL AND COLORFUL, PAULSEN WRITING.