‘The Island’ is a cautionary tale about what happens if we try too hard to control the things that make us happy. It is a philosophical picture book that will encourage discussions about differing perceptions, finding a work-life (or online-outdoor play) balance, and the importance of interacting with nature out in the wild rather than in zoos and aquariums or online.
John Heffernan’s story describes a tribe living on an island who are so busy working they can’t see the beauty surrounding them. No wonder they rarely smile and never laugh. Ironically, the only person on the island who appreciates the beauty of his surroundings is a blind boy. When a wonderful sea monster visits the island, the boy befriends it and together they galivant about in the sea. Their laughter penetrates the wall of indifference the tribe have built around themselves, and they join in the boy and monster’s games, discovering the wonder of play and of enjoying themselves.
Unfortunately, they are not content with just joining the sea creature in his natural environment. They want to own him. So, they drag the poor creature to the town’s swimming pool. Robbed of its natural environment, the creature slowly fades away, until the blind boy rescues it, and they sail off into the sunrise together. The people are bereft. Their need to ‘own’ things has led to them losing any chance of happiness.
There is a wonderful contrast visually between the cartoon-style members of the tribe who can’t see what is right in front of their noses and the blind boy who ‘sees’ and appreciates the wild and wonderful world around him. Peter Sheehan’s illustrations are textural, colourful, and full of contrast and visual irony. He has a strong sense of visual storytelling, using different perspectives, angles and framing to emphasise the difference between the boy’s rich and vivid world and that of the other people living on the island. He also effectively uses colour to evoke different atmospheres throughout the story.
Heffernan employs the storytelling cadences of fables and folktales, with a strong message at the story’s heart. This is a great book for promoting discussions about what it is that makes people happy, how easy it is to lose sight of such things and the importance of appreciating our surroundings. ‘The Island’ was an Honour Book in the CBCA Picture Book of the Year Awards in 2006 and received a White Raven Award from the International Youth Library in Munich.
Picture Books for Older Readers
