The Lost Island [Hardcover]

E. Pauline Johnson (Author), Atanas Matsoureff (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 9, 2004 | Age Level: 5 and up

In 1911, Pauline Johnson published Legends of Vancouver, a collection of native stories she learned from a tribal chieftain. One of these stories appears here in a new edition. The Lost Island tells of a long-ago time when what is now Vancouver belonged to the Sqamish people. In poetic prose, Johnson retells the story of a native healer whose visit to a mysterious island ends in a tragic loss, a striking symbol of the arrival of white civilization. Acclaimed artist Atanas's shimmering illustrations evoke a world long vanished.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-6–Taken from Johnson's Legends of Vancouver (Douglas & McIntyre, 1998), this story details the typical and oft-heard lament about the destruction of the Native Canadian way of life by the coming of the Europeans, and is told by one of Canada's best-known Native poets. A healer is plagued by visions of his people's demise. Driven almost to madness by his power to see the future, he paddles to a distant island where he leaves behind his courage, his fearlessness, and his strength. Upon returning to his village, the old man dies peacefully in his sleep, after instructing his people to search for the island where he left his bravery in the hope that the Squamish might one day regain their strength and ultimately be able to endure the rule of the white man. The text flows easily and is rich with descriptive language, but Matsoureff's breathtaking watercolor illustrations are the real strength of the book. These evocative pictures envelop the senses so that children can almost smell the pine needles or feel the chill in the air, giving a real sense of British Columbia's wilderness. A worthy addition to any collection of Native folklore.–Robyn Walker, Elgin Court Public School, St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada
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From Booklist

Gr. 2-4. Appearing first in a collection published in 1911, this haunting Canadian legend about what the Indians have lost has been reformatted into a picture book for older children. A contemporary young man listens to his elderly Indian friend tell about searching for a lost island that legends say holds the strength of a once-great Indian leader. The leader predicted that whites would take over, build the city of Vancouver, and make the Indians give up everything: their land, their religion, their language, and their traditions. Matsoureff's stirring watercolor landscape paintings, which capture the beauty of the wilderness of days gone by and the loneliness of the present empty places with equal sensitivity, are a stunning match for an honest story, still told and retold across generations. There is no resolution, just the longing and loss. Hazel Rochman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Simply Read Books (December 9, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1894965078
• ISBN-13: 978-1894965071
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 9.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,419,178 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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