How well would you share your island if you didn’t really like who you were sharing it with?  That’s the underlying question I picked out of Chris Tebbetts and Jeff Probst book, Stranded.

The four kids who find themselves stranded on an island in the South Pacific would almost certainly NOT have picked each other!  And therein lies the underlying tension.  If it’s not enough that their uncle and his first mate (the only adults) have been swept overboard in the crash and taken the life boat with them, and that they’re shipwrecked on an unknown island without water or contact with the outside world, maybe throwing in a couple of brand new step siblings will make it easier?  No?  Well, it might by the end!

I think watching the siblings interact may have been what I enjoyed most, though the nautical terms and exotic island setting were a big plus as well.  Certainly the kids and their potential growth will be what brings me back to check out book 2.  In this first book, that’s only hinted at, but I’m sure we’ll see more development as the kids spend more time on the island.  And given the dramatic ending to the book, their adventures promise to continue at the intense pace and absorbing rate established in the first!

But let’s see what the Apricot-kitty has to say:

“Ugh, what is with all these books where kids get nearly drowned in water?”  *shiver*  “Aside from all the water parts, I enjoyed it.  The girl with the camera is smart, so the other kids should listen to her.  Hopefully they realize that soon.  Also, I hope the jungle includes some big cats.  Wouldn’t they perfectly round out the story?”

Hmm…not sure the kids would appreciate seeing big cats in the jungle!  Pretty sure they could do without that particular development.  However, it was fun to see the kids use the tools at hand in innovative ways.  I guess that’s something I always enjoy about survival stories–watching the characters think outside the box.  What do you enjoy most about a survival story?  Tell me in the comments, and pop over to Shannon Messenger’s blog for more Marvelous Middle Grade Monday book reviews, spotlights, and giveaways!

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