An Island in the Sun [Paperback]

Stella Blackstone (Author), Nicoletta Ceccoli (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 2005 | Age Level: 2 and up

In a spectacular seascape, a young boy sails for a distant island where he finds a special friend waiting for him. Who could it be? Children will delight in pointing out the animals and objects that the little boy spies along his journey. Award-winning artist Nicoletta Ceccoli's radiant illustrations spill off the pages with their dramatic ocean scenes and vibrant tropical hues.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Stylized in an otherworldly manner, Italian illustrator Ceccoli's English-language debut begins as a boy sets sail for a tiny island. "I spy with my little eye a bird flying by" reads the accompanying text, the type curving across the skies of the double-page spreads as if tossed by the ocean breeze. The locks of the boy's hair, an aqueous blue, undulate like the tentacles of a sea urchin, as do the rays of the smiling, rosy-cheeked sun, the tail feathers of birds and the branches of trees. Blackstone (Cleo the Cat) enlarges the sentence of text with each page, until: "I spy with my little eye someone waiting for me on a beach beside the sea and a big tangly tree on an island close to me." The "someone" turns out to be a blue dog, and the island looks as if it's made of plasticine, with cheerful, lumpy vegetation and an assortment of sea creatures distributed carefully over its smooth surface. After an afternoon of fishing, the dog and the boy nap in the sun, near a plate full of fish bones. The last spread shows boy and dog sailing together for home under lavender skies and a watchful blue crescent moon. Paired with the incantatory quality of the verse, the off-center illustrations leave readers with the pleasantly hazy sensation of having spent a long day at the beach. Ages 4-7.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 1-Against a backdrop of oceany greens and tropical blues warmed by the sun's golden rays, a young boy with blue hair sets sail on a voyage across the sea, his spyglass trained on an island where someone is eagerly awaiting his arrival. And who is there to greet him? A friendly dog that accompanies him on the return voyage. The text begins, "I spy with my little eye a bird flying by." The waves of type rise and fall, simulating the rocking motion of the ocean, as each page adds another phrase to the simple rhyme ("-the sun in the sky-/a big tangly tree on an island far from me-"). Ceccoli's surreal acrylic and oil-pastel illustrations perfectly capture the rhythmical nuances of the text; the images are memorable both for their unique style and unusual color schemes. This is the artist's first English-language picture book; her most recent honor was the Italian Andersen Prize naming her best illustrator of the year for 2001. While the art is stronger than the story, the text is lyrical and suits the mood.
Laurie Edwards, West Shore School District, Camp Hill, PA
Copyright 2002 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 2 and up
  
• Paperback: 24 pages
• Publisher: Barefoot Books (March 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1841480797
• ISBN-13: 978-1841480794
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 9.4 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #767,840 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Stella Blackstone has written many bestselling titles for Barefoot Books, including the popular Bear and Cleo series, An Island in the Sun, Secret Seahorse and Who Are You, Baby Kangaroo? Stella lives with her family in Somerset.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Beautiful Ode to Wonder and Adventure, September 4, 2008

By 

Alan M. Askew "zinedine" (Vassalboro, Maine USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: An Island in the Sun (Paperback)

I got this for my son when he turned 2 and from the first reading he was completely captivated and inspired. The book is short, beautiful, and even arresting in its aspirational, idyllic, and nostalgic quality.

After we started reading this book, my son started to ask me to tell him other stories of adventures and voyages he might take! The book probably doesn't last more than a few minutes, but I still heartily recommend it for the little voyager in all of us.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Favorite with my two year old!, April 19, 2006

By 

M. Marovich "reader extraordinaire" (San Diego, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: An Island in the Sun (Hardcover)

My two year old son loves this book. I have to give some credit to the illustrator, the colors and pictures are fabulous. This book is part of our nightly rotation. The repetition in the story allows my son to feel like he is reading too - he likes to say the parts at the end, "A dolphin jumping free and the sun in the sky and a bird flying by"

I highly recommend this adorable tale.

5.0 out of 5 stars A Colorful Adventure, September 24, 2010

By 

LadyD "San Diego" - See all my reviews

This review is from: An Island in the Sun (Hardcover)

Set sail for a distant island with a young boy in search of a friend in this I-spy adventure. The rhyme and repetition encourage easy learning, and the surprise at the end will delight young readers. The book is suitable for little people to read alone for ages 4-7 or reading together, baby-4 years old. It's a beautiful picture book written by Stella Blackstone with charming verse and gorgeous pastel illustrations by Nicoletta Ceccoli that truly depict sparkling ocean colors of blue, opaque turquoise and green. The full-page colorful illustrations of seascapes remind me of beautiful places in Greece or perhaps Italy.

In a spectacular seascape, a young boy sets sail for a distant island where he finds a special friend waiting for him. Who could it be? Young kids like surprises and the ending to this story is indeed a happy one. Children will delight in pointing out the animals and objects that the little boy spies along his journey.

Award-winning artist Nicoletta Ceccoli's radiant illustrations spill off the pages with their dramatic ocean scenes and vibrant tropical hues. In 2003, An Island in the Sun received the Book of the Year Award Finalist, ForeWord Magazine.

What I like best about this book is its simplicity in nature's vast visual, the ocean. Plus, the charming text of Stella Blackstone's repeated verse of spotting familiar objects through a telescope. Whether you enjoy the sport of fishing or sailing or just leisurely strolling along the seashore picking up sea shells and then diving under one of the ocean's waves, only to dry off on the sand laying in the warm of the sun... you're sure to feel happy and content to have sailed to An Island in the Sun and have spent a fun-filled day at the beach. ***** stars.