Island Boy

Island Boy

Written and Illustrated by Barbara Cooney

Publisher: Viking kestrel 1988 38 pages

Genre: Picture book and Story book

Reading Level: Ages 4-8

Summary: This is about Matthais, the youngest of 12 children, who grew on an island. He went to sea in his uncle’s boat, the Six brothers, as a cabin boy. He sailed on the Six Brothers for 15 years. By this time, Matthais was the master of the ship. He moved back to the island and fixed up the house, as his parents had left by the island by this time. He married and brought his bride to the island. They had 3 daughters. The girls grew up and married and left the island. Then, Hannah, his wife died. He stayed on the island even after that because his youngest daughter, Jane sent her son, Little Matthais, every summer. Soon thereafter, Jane’s husband died and she and Little Matthais came to stay on the island for good. As he was bringing the produce that grew on the island to the mainland, he was lost in a storm and was never seen again. People came from all over to the island for the funeral.

Response: I liked this book. It has a very sweet story.