Kiri, Jed and twins Emma and Ethan frequently journey on 'elastic island', a unique way of travelling that sends them pinging across the ocean to various South Pacific destinations. This time, together with Blong the cat and Heathcliff the dog, the group of children are on their way to beautiful Fiji.
On arrival at Plantation Island Resort, the children are surprised to discover Lepani, a small hermit crab, hiding in their room. Determined to reunite him with his family, the children must earn his trust, entertain him and most importantly, keep the accident-prone crab alive.
The latest edition of the Elastic Island Adventures series, is another great standalone book, perfectly pitched for middle primary school aged children. Author Karen McMillan gives readers just enough information to get settled into the story and get to know the characters, without overloading them, or losing the interest of fans who are already up to date.
Each character, human or animal, has their own distinct quirks and personalities. McMillan ensures the children have a diverse range of interests, and shows the readers the importance of teamwork and cooperation. While the characters are all different, together they can achieve great things if they use their unique talents and skills.
As well as this important lesson, the story showcases the magic of nature and Fiji, and the importance of protecting our environment. McMillan's research shines through, and my younger readers were motivated to go away and seek out more information about the Reefs of Hope program.
With short, sharp chapters, this is an easy-to-read book that will appeal to those making the leap into chapter books. Colourful characters, an exciting adventure and just the right touch of humour combine to make this an engaging read bound to captivate primary school readers of all ages.
Reviewer: Rebekah Lyell
Duckling Publishing