LoveReading4Kids Says
LoveReading4Kids Says
With its stellar storytelling, and unique, unforgettable characters, Tania Unsworth’s Nowhere Island is a fresh, thought-provoking survival-in-the-wild adventure. Both nuanced and immediate, Nowhere Island gets to the heart of human bonds in an arresting voice that speaks of, and to, young minds. It also transcends age boundaries, and really is a wonder for all ages.
“Gil was five years old when his parents were drowned in a kayaking accident.” Now twelve, after spending “his whole life being taken to one place after another” in the foster care system, Gil decides to go somewhere all by himself for once.
After hiding out in the trunk of a car, Gil’s bag is stolen by two brothers, Riley (11) and Grayson (13). Having fled their violent father, they now live on a wild area of land that’s protected from spying eyes by a motorway. Though the area is plainly visible from the road, no one sees them simply because no one looks. As such, “Nowhere Island” is the perfect hideout for all three runaways.
Gil remarks that the brothers are like pirates, plundering what they can to survive, surrounded by the road rather than sea. And, in befriending the boys, Gil realises that the magic of telling stories doesn’t only provide personal pleasure; it also pleases other people. As a result, he starts to think that “there was a place for him in the world, after all.”
But the boys aren’t alone on Nowhere Island. A girl the brothers have named Pez also lives there. After fleeing the Starborn survivalist community her parents moved to, she’s adept at wild living, but set on remaining true to her resolution to never speak to anyone, and to never form friendships. That way, no one can ever betray her again. But meeting Gil sees an unexpected shift in Pez — she wants to make him laugh again.
Then, after the two camps begin to exchange gifts, with Pez also silently sharing her wisdom with the boys, the secrecy of Nowhere Island is spoiled and all four residents are forced to make tough decisions.
Gripping, moving and teeming with tension, with every sentence perfectly crafted and layered with meaning, Nowhere Island is a beautiful, impactful book.
Joanne Owen
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About
Nowhere Island Synopsis
Set on a hidden island at the intersection of several busy highways, this is an original and action-packed survival adventure about trust, friendship, resilience and what really makes a home.
Hidden at the intersection of several busy highways behind the trees and scrubby undergrowth is an island, full of secrets... Pez has lived there for a while now, enjoying the solitude. She has a vegetable patch, a routine, her own way of doing things and a condor, who may be outstaying his welcome. Runaway brothers, Riley and Grayson call the island home too.
They keep their distance from Pez and spend precarious days trying to survive, still relying on the man-made world which speeds around them. Then Gil arrives, with his hagstone and a dream of happy families, and everything changes. The four of them find a way of living and believe they might stay on the island forever. But all too soon they witness something they should never have seen and they're in deadly danger...
Tania Unsworth constantly raises the stakes to write about trust, friendship, resilience and what really makes a home in this original, tense and action-packed survival adventure.
About This Edition
ISBN: |
9781804540091 |
Publication date: |
1st August 2024 |
Author: |
Tania Unsworth |
Publisher: |
Zephyr an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing PLC |
Format: |
Paperback |
Pagination: |
368 pages |
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Press Reviews
Tania Unsworth Press Reviews
A Robinson Crusoe-esque story of a summer of survival in a modern setting but with primitive resources. It is rivetingly and entertainingly told, with heart and tension - Sunday Times, Book of the Week
Enthralling and uplifting, this story of survival and belonging is perfect for adventure lovers of 9+ - The Guardian
Unsworth's book is tense and vivid, her band of misfits proving that the weak can win out and that wherever you go can be a paradise if you want it to be - Literary Review
A strong, engaging, and powerful story about hope and survival. Completely engaging, it will keep you enthralled until the very end. - The School Librarian
A powerful message underpins this gripping and contemporary drama - Daily Mail
Takes readers on a journey of emotions - Scope for Imagination
Praise for Tania Unsworth:
'A winning time-slip tale... A suspenseful story in which the reader is strongly invested in thwarting stupid, cruel game hunters, who are vividly drawn... The book has a passion for protecting our ecosystems... The emotional depths make you suspend disbelief' Sunday Times, Book of the Week
'The writing is sophisticated and memorable... An atmospheric adventure story with a strong message about the importance of conservation' BookTrust on The Time Traveller and the Tiger
'A classic adventure, worth reading alone for the transporting evocation of the mighty, beautiful, much misunderstood creature at its heart' -- Piers Torday, author of The Frozen Sea
Author
About Tania Unsworth
Tania Unsworth spent her childhood in Cambridge before moving to America in her early twenties. She comes from a family of writers and lives in Boston, USA, with her husband and two sons.
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