Orphan Island

Orphan Island (2017) by Laurel Snyder is a middle-grade novel in the magical realism genre. The story is set on a remote, magical island that is home to nine children but no adults. Once a year, a magic boat appears, bringing a new toddler, and the oldest child must leave. The oldest child remaining on the island becomes the toddler’s caretaker. The novel’s protagonist is Jinny, the new “Elder” of the island. She loves her “Care” (toddler), Ess, and doesn’t want to leave her—but through a complex maturation process, Jinny learns that some things are more important than what she wants.

This guide refers to the paperback edition published by Walden Pond Press in 2018.

Plot Summary

The yearly boat arrives on the island, bringing the new toddler, Ess, which means that it’s time for the oldest child, Deen, to leave. Deen was the best friend of Jinny, the protagonist, so she’s upset that he’s leaving and almost forgets that the new child is her direct responsibility. The island folklore warns that the sky will fall if more than nine children remain on the island at once.