Rating: 
Summary: Great for the Upper Elementary/Early Middle School Set
Review: Rylant, a gifted writer for children, has crafted a work comparable to her previous award-winning "Missing May".In this book, Daniel is a boy that lives with his elderly grandfather on a British Columbian island. The parentless lad longs to escape the limits of his remote domain, longing to see what is unavailable in his region. However, through some supernatural existence, Daniel discovers that where one is can be as rewarding as where one isn't. The lad discovers insight into his heritage, develops into a talented artisan, and, eventually, becomes a content young adult. The simple prose and involved storyline should appeal to the young reader and the book's theme of finding oneself should be easily realized by the eyes of those that savor the author's words.
Rating: 
Summary: I really liked this book!
Review: The first chapter was about a boy named David who lived with his grandfather because his mother and father were deceased. David had been living with his grandfather for 3 years. He liked to collect shells.
One day he thought he saw a mermaid. He found a comb washed upon shore and he put it in his hair. He also found a key.
The second section was about the key. The key would start to vibrate because they had just had a very bad storm. It was a bird and a girl he rescued with the key.
The third section is about a Bible that had David's family tree in it. David's grandfather had died and he found it. He found out the "Anna", the name carved on the beam, belonged to a girl that was his grandfather's sister who died at 17.
The final section, "The Islander" is about when Daniel gets older. He is now 20 and he has joined the church. He lives a girl, although she is only 15. He finds a dog that he names Poseidon. He soon marries the girl and has a family.
Rating:
Summary: A really fantastic novel!
Review: The Islander was certainly one of my favorite books, Cynthia Rylant is my kind of author...I simply loved the style of writing she uses, and I will continue to look for books written by her!
Rating:
Summary: Magical!
Review: This book of childhood, magic, and mermaids actually came to me in a magical way. I was in an art supply store, a place that never carries novels. The Islander was right there on the shelf in front of the ceramic painting books. I picked it up, flipped through it, and felt Destiny's hand nudge me toward the checkout counter. I'm glad I obeyed! Daniel, whose tale is told in The Islander, encounters magic in exactly the same way as this book fell into my hands. A lonely orphan living with his kindly grandfather, Daniel finds a mermaid's comb one day while walking the beach; from there the magical mystery begins. (It is hard to say much about the story without the risk of spoiling it.) Reading it, I was reminded of the lonely moments in my own childhood when I wished for exactly the kind of magic that happened to Daniel. It's officially a Young Adult's book, but my wife and I both enjoyed it deeply. I'd recommend it for adults who still love innocent, loving magic just as highly as I'd recommend it to young people.
Rating:
Summary: AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!
Review: This book was heartwarming,awesome and great. Cynthia Rylant did everything perfectly. I especially liked the part when... well I shouldn't give it away.
Rating:
Summary: A Beautiful Combination.
Review: This book, I highly recomend to those who loves a good book that's goes beyond the ordinary. My teacher read it to us and we urged her to read it in two days. This book is a very detailed book so you can imagine what it felt like from Daniel's perspective and what the setting looked like. My favorite part was when Daniel saw the mermaid and his discovery of his grandpa's sister, Anna. This a good book for light reading and still it mentions every detail you need to know.
Rating:
Summary: Loaded with Atmosphere and Magic
Review: This is a slim little book that you will probably love enough to own the hardcover version that is fast disappearing! It can easily be read in a single sitting and you will wish that it was longer. Pre-teen and teenaged people will enjoy it as will adults with romantic souls. It is set on an island off the Pacific Coast of Bristish Columbia and so has sea atmosphere and enchantment swirling about it like fog and salt-scented breeze. The story is poignant and the writing is sensitve and lyrical. An orphaned boy is living on this small island with his grandfather. He is given a magical gift by a mermaid and it makes a big difference in his life. Since this is a short and beautifully simple book I don't want to spoil it for you by giving away too many details but I found it very touching. The descriptions in the book transported me to the island and opened my heart to all the characters. It is a ghostly, magical love story on several different levels. Don't miss it!
Rating:
Summary: OH......... SOMETHING GOING ON AFTER 20 DAYS
Review: This little gem can be read in one fascinating sitting; in fact, it just begs to be read aloud. But read this one slowly--to savor the salty smell of the ocean off British Canada and to
listen to the crashing surf and wheeling seagulls. One must look intently to notice the glistening droplets on a magical gift from the sea. Ten-year-old Daniel, an orphan from the mainland, lives on a rustic islet with his taciturn Grandfather. They boy longs for companions his own age, but must rely on his ingenuity, compassion for living things and his affinity with Nature to provide stimulation for the lonely hours. Yet such primitive conditions (no TV, phones or even horses) are ideal to
inspire keen observations along the shoreline. When he spies a mermaid's comb--obvious at first glance that such it is--his drab existence is changed forever. This is a wonderful book of fantasy and personal growth to share with kids, from 7-70!
Rating: 
Summary: Gifts from the Sea
Review: This little gem can be read in one fascinating sitting; in fact, it just begs to be read aloud. But read this one slowly--to savor the salty smell of the ocean off British Canada and to
listen to the crashing surf and wheeling seagulls. One must look intently to notice the glistening droplets on a magical gift from the sea. Ten-year-old Daniel, an orphan from the mainland, lives on a rustic islet with his taciturn Grandfather. They boy longs for companions his own age, but must rely on his ingenuity, compassion for living things and his affinity with Nature to provide stimulation for the lonely hours. Yet such primitive conditions (no TV, phones or even horses) are ideal to
inspire keen observations along the shoreline. When he spies a mermaid's comb--obvious at first glance that such it is--his drab existence is changed forever. This is a wonderful book of fantasy and personal growth to share with kids, from 7-70!
Rating:
Summary: The Islander
Review: This story is about a boy who is living on an island with his grandfather because his parents died in a tragic plane crash. Since then he is very lonely on the island and doesn't have any friends. One day he was walking along the beach when he came upon a sea otter. The sea otter left the boy with a special gift, a gift that will change the future and his life forever. I rate this book a four because its exiting and it keeps me reading. I recommend this book to anyone of any age.
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