Nara is a little girl who lives with her dad on a remote island in the middle of a vast ocean. It's a small island, and there's not much there other than the small dwelling they both live in. Not the world's most interesting place to live.
But a short stretch across the waves, young Nara can see another island. It's too far to swim so Nara dreams of all the different ways she might visit the island (we love the illustration of her being carried across the sea by birds, so gorgeous!)
Eventually Nara's dad repairs their boat, and a grand expedition is launched.
The other island is so different to Nara's home. It's packed with dense jungle, and lots of timid creatures flee at the sight of the newcomers. While Dad rows around the island, Nara decides to explore, and soon finds that, as well as the creatures that live in the jungle, Nara is definitely not alone!
We love exploring the countryside around where we live, but can only dream of what it must be like to visit a tiny remote island by boat. It's a grand adventure, so sumptuously illustrated that we predict GREAT things for Dan Ungureanu.
We also rather loved the fact that the book ends 'just so' - With just enough of a tail so that you can develop your own theories and stories about what Nara (and her newly discovered friend) get up to next.
Charlotte's favourite bit: Nara's imagined voyage across the sea, towed gently aloft by a myriad of birds.
Daddy's favourite bit: The way the book gently tails off - there's no whizz bang pop of an ending, just a gently open inroad into your imagination so that you can finish Nara's story yourself.
(Kindly sent to us for review by Andersen Children's Books).
"Nara and the Island"
Written and Illustrated by Dan Ungureanu
Published by Andersen Children's Books
Publication Date: 5th May 2016