Books About Islands · 226 titles considered

The Best Islands Books for Kids

By the Bookroo Editors

Looking for excellent children's books about islands? This collection brings together Bookroo's highest-rated and most useful picks in one place.

Start with our editorial favorites, then browse recommendations organized by reading stage to find the right book for your reader.

Notorious
The Shortlist

Our 10 Favorite Books About Islands

Sale price
$1597
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2020

Notorious

By Gordon Korman

On a peculiar island, two teens unravel a dog's murder mystery linked to a gangster past.

307 pages· 57,253 words· Est. 8 hour read
6.8/7 Bookroo experts·4.1/5 Goodreads · 1,829 ratings
$16.99Save 6%
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2019

Caterpillar Summer

A summer trip reveals family secrets and tests sibling bonds.

320 pages· 55,933 words· Est. 8 hour read
6.3/7 Bookroo experts·4.3/5 Goodreads · 3,558 ratings
$9.99Save 4%
Chapter Book · Ages 9–12 · 2004

Peter and the Starcatchers

Orphan Peter's voyage turns perilous with a mysterious trunk and dangerous foes.

452 pages· 83,144 words· Est. 9.5 hour read
6.0/7 Bookroo experts·4.0/5 Goodreads · 78,718 ratings
$9.99Save 4%
Chapter Book · Ages 10–13

Island of the Blue Dolphins

By Scott O'Dell, Ted Lewin (Illustrator) · Book #1 in the Island of the Blue Dolphins series

Alone on a desolate island, a girl battles nature and wild dogs for survival.

Newbery Medal (1961)
177 pages· 40,023 words· Est. 4.5 hour read
5.4/7 Bookroo experts·3.9/5 Goodreads · 354,002 ratings
$9.99Save 4%
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2021

The Adventure Is Now

A boy must solve cryptic clues to save a threatened island.

336 pages
4.1/5 Goodreads · 483 ratings
$16.99Save 6%
Chapter Book · Ages 7–11

My Father's Dragon

A young boy runs away from home to rescue a baby dragon from a group of wild animals on a remote island

96 pages· 7,571 words· Est. 1 hour read
5.0/7 Bookroo experts·4.1/5 Goodreads · 37,775 ratings
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2019

Lalani of the Distant Sea

A girl braves a perilous sea quest to save her mother and her future.

400 pages· 51,828 words· Est. 7 hour read
3.9/5 Goodreads · 3,921 ratings
$16.99Save 6%
Chapter Book · Ages 7–11 · 1999

Nim's Island

By Wendy Orr, Kerry Millard (Illustrator) · Book #1 in the Nim series

A young girl lives on a deserted island with her scientist father and various animal friends.

125 pages· 21,645 words· Est. 3 hour read
3.9/5 Goodreads · 5,909 ratings
$7.99Save 5%
Chapter Book · Ages 12–18 · 2014

We Were Liars

By E. Lockhart · Book #1 in the We Were Liars series

A private island, a secretive family, and a friendship that turns destructive. What truth lies beneath the lies?

242 pages· 49,420 words· Est. 4.5 hour read
3.7/5 Goodreads · 1,463,760 ratings
$14.99Save 7%
Chapter Book · Ages 14–18 · 1954

Lord of the Flies

Stranded boys' paradise turns to chaos as order collapses.

219 pages· 60,305 words· Est. 5.5 hour read
3.7/5 Goodreads · 3,286,830 ratings
$12.00Save 5%
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Islands Picture Books

Illustrated read-alouds about islands for preschool and elementary-age readers.

Circle Unbroken

Ages 4–8 · 2004

A grandmother shares a legacy of resilience through basket weaving.

Too Cool for Rules

Ages 4–8 · 2011

Can Alvin and the Chipmunks break free from Dave's rules on their cruise?

Grandad's Island

Ages 4–8 · 2015

A boy discovers a magical island and learns to say goodbye.

The Magic School Bus Blows Its Top

Ages 4–8 · 1996

A missing globe piece leads to an explosive underwater adventure.

The Long Island

Ages 4–8 · 2018

Five explorers leave home to uncover the mysteries beyond their island.

I Spy Treasure Hunt

Ages 6–9 · 1999

Solve riddles and uncover hidden objects in captivating photos.

Island Boy

Ages 3–5 · 1988

A boy's bond with an island shapes his life across generations.

The Sea Chest

Ages 4–+ · 2002

A storm delivers a mysterious sea chest, altering a lonely island girl's life forever.

Time of Wonder

Ages 3–7 · 1957

Experience a summer on a Maine island, where nature's beauty and a hurricane's fury collide.

Graphic Nov.
Sale price
$1695

The Wild Piano

Ages 8–12 · 1973

A farm boy's quest through magical letters risks losing everything he knows.

An Extraordinary Egg

Ages 4–7 · 1948

Three frogs find an egg, but what hatches isn't what they expect. Is it really a chicken?

The Wreck of the Zephyr

Ages 6–9 · 1983

A boy's quest to master the sea leads to a mysterious, sky-bound adventure.

View all islands picture books
Browse by age

Islands Chapter Books & Middle Grade

Longer stories about islands for developing and independent readers.

Al Capone Does My Shirts

Ages 10–14 · 2004

A boy navigates life on Alcatraz Island amidst notorious criminals and family challenges.

The Island of Lost Horses

Ages 9–12 · 2014

A girl discovers a wild mare, unlocking a centuries-old mystery that could save the world's rarest horses.

Journey to Chandara

Ages 9–12 · 2007

An explorer and his dinosaur must navigate a forbidden empire without an invitation.

The Lost Tide Warriors

Ages 8–12 · 2019

Magic fades as danger rises on Arranmore Island. Can Fionn summon help before it's too late?

Surfing for Secrets

Ages 7–10 · 2015

A prehistoric pirate seeks lost treasure on Mouse Island. Can they find it without going extinct?

Al Capone Throws Me a Curve

Ages 8–12 · 2018

A boy must navigate Alcatraz's dangers to join a baseball team.

Where Is Alcatraz?

Ages 8–12 · 2016

A book about the history of Alcatraz prison and its notorious inmates.

The Sea Pony

Ages 7–9 · 2016

A mysterious whistle leads to unexpected magic and friendship.

Emily Windsnap and the Ship of Lost Souls

Ages 8–11 · 2015

A young girl discovers a mysterious ship and must navigate a magical world to rescue its passengers.

A Land Apart from Time

Ages 9–12 · 1992

A shipwreck reveals a hidden world where humans and dinosaurs coexist.

The Alcatraz Escape

Ages 9–14 · 2018

A mystery game on Alcatraz turns dangerous as sabotage threatens Emily and James.

The World Beneath

Ages 8–12 · 1995

A hidden civilization's secrets threaten Dinotopia's survival.

Keep exploring
Books about survival storiesBooks about family problemsBooks about buried treasureBooks about conservationBooks about coping with deathBooks about courageBooks about dragonsBooks about father-daughter relationships

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