A review by shighley
Islandborn by Junot Díaz
4.0
My favorite illustrations of the year (so far). They are so vibrant, whimsical, and pleasing to the eye. (Some of my favorites are the spreads with Abuela; her dress, the plants, the beach, the animals...) The premise is wonderful as well.
The "monster" might require some explanation for younger children. The construction of the story does necessitate some type of reason why everyone left an island that obviously had so many things that they loved, but children might be confused about the monster. There are also a few pages where I wished the typography had been a bit more of a contrast for easier reading. One of those is the gorgeous beach scene.
It's so fun just to languish on a single spread and enjoy the intricacies of the illustrations.
The "monster" might require some explanation for younger children. The construction of the story does necessitate some type of reason why everyone left an island that obviously had so many things that they loved, but children might be confused about the monster. There are also a few pages where I wished the typography had been a bit more of a contrast for easier reading. One of those is the gorgeous beach scene.
It's so fun just to languish on a single spread and enjoy the intricacies of the illustrations.