Welcome to the Island (Isla of Adventure, #1)

WELCOME TO THE ISLAND is a delightful early chapter book that introduces Isla and her best friend, Fitz the gecko. Isla and Fitz live on the island of Sol, and Isla has a big secret - she can actually speak with all the animals on the island. When a new neighbor Tora moves in and seems quite different from her, Isla is not sure how she will connect, but she knows just the way to try!

When Tora's special pin from La Ciudad, her hometown, is swiped, Isla knows just how to find it again - by asking the animals and chasing down leads. Together, they go in search of finding of it, while meeting many of the delightful characters that make up the animals on Sol. However, Isla's secret may be really tough to keep under wraps with Tora's observant eyes.

What I loved: This is the first book in a really charming and fun series. Written as an early chapter book, it features detailed black-and-white illustrations on every page spread. There are few places where the amount of text is greater than the image size, which makes this a really approachable book for early chapter book readers. The images really bring Isla, Fitz, and the island to life, which will work well for children who are just beginning to appreciate longer and more complex stories. The font is also large and clear, which will aid in the independent reading process, with chapters that balance content and length well. For beginning chapter book readers, this series has all the highlights of a great starting choice!

The story itself is absolutely delightful, and the characters come to life in the telling. Isla, Fitz, Tora, and Fabio (a seagull) all have quite the personalities that are conveyed in the course of the story, and they become beloved characters quite quickly. The plot includes themes of making new friends, appreciating the ways others are different, kindness, and helping others that will resonate with readers in the intended age group - and also appeal to caregivers. The mystery of what happened to Tora's pin is charming and creates a little bit of drama that also allows the introduction of key characters while chasing down the leads. Isla being able to speak with animals is really clever and so much fun - the animals all have their own personalities too, as the reader is quick to learn! With the strong characters and fun twists, this is a story that readers can really love - and can create excitement for the rest of the series.

Final verdict: WELCOME TO THE ISLAND is a charming and delightful early chapter book that will captivate young readers with its clever plot, fantastic characters, and lush illustrations. Highly recommend picking up this book/series!