The Allure of Islands in Children’s Fiction, Guest Feature by Anthony Burt

8th May 2022

Tiny TripFiction is thrilled to welcome debut author Anthony Burt to the blog to tell us a little bit about the magical allure of islands in children’s fiction and an exclusive booklist of his favourite children’s books set on islands!

The Animal Lighthouse tells the story of young Jim, a boy washed up as a baby onto a hidden island, cared for by his wonderful family of animals; life as a lighthouse keeper is full of fun and adventure until one day a pirate ship is spotted – bringing with it unwanted and dangerous answers to Jim’s past. A standout, swashbuckling adventure as its finest! With charming illustrations by Ciara Flood throughout.

The Animal Lighthouse, published by Guppy Books, is out on May 12th!

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There is something enduringly mysterious, hidden and magical about islands. They are secret places we all want to explore, and that’s why so many stories are set on them.

Characters who visit an island for a quest, like Skull Island in King Kong, or are trapped there and the island itself becomes a menacing force that creates conflict and division, like Coral Island in Lord of the Flies, represent a claustrophobic snapshot of people like us in a tiny world like our own. We see observations of us and our behaviour, in miniature, in island-based stories and, as readers, are able to “imagine” islands more clearly because they uncover a microcosm of intense emotions, curiosity and awakening in us.

There’s a reason why so many children’s books, like The Animal Lighthouse, have maps at the beginning of them – it’s to grab the reader straight into a fully constructed world and show them exactly where their imagination is about to go in the adventure ahead.

Anthony Burt’s Favourite Children’s Books Set on Islands

Lalani of the Distant Sea by Erin Entrada Kelly

On the island of Sanlagita, Lalani’s life is hard. To the west is a mountain about to destroy her village, to the north, is a deadly fog that swallows sailors who dare to explore for better lands to live. So, when Lalani’s mum becomes ill, she takes on the difficult task of leaving Sanlagita to find the riches of the legendary Mount Isa. Based on Filipino folklore, this beautifully crafted story is about a girl surviving an epic test that generations of men have failed, and the choice of whether to accept superstition and fate or to plough your own path in life.

Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson

The original swashbuckling classic that started them all – this story is dripping with salty sea Lords, pillaging pirates and a race against time to reach a dead man’s treasure on a faraway island. The main character, Jim Hawkins, finds a treasure map among a dead sailor’s possessions and sets sail, with his friends Squire Trelawney and Dr Livesey on the Hispaniola, to track the island and its loot down. But Jim’s bravery is pitched against the ruthless and devious pirate Long John Silver. It may have been written in 1881, but this is still a fast-paced, gripping story!

Crowfall by Vashti Hardy

This wonderful, exciting eco-adventure is about a lowly boy called Orin Crowfall who lives on an island called Ironhold. Shunning nature, the island is crammed with industry and run by a treacherous group of governors who are sucking the life out of the island’s living plant core. Orin and his hilarious robot sidekick, Cody, must escape sea monsters, storms and a plot to stop him, in order to learn about how nature should be respected and lived alongside not destroyed. A brilliant, page-turning adventure full of emotion!

Kensuke’s Kingdom by Michael Morpurgo

A story of survival, friendship and a boy coming-of-age, this is about Michael who falls off his parent’s boat and is washed up on an island in the Pacific. Michael doesn’t know how to survive, but an old Japanese man called Kensuke living there does and shows him how. Across a year of being stranded, Michael and Kensuke teach one another wisdoms, resilience, and about their family backgrounds. They save orangutans from poachers, build a friendship across cultural barriers and decide whether or not they want to leave their island to see their families again. A beautiful and powerful story.

The Last Bear by Hannah Gold

Some books come along and you know they are magical and classics in the making. This is one of them. It is a captivating, heart-rending story of an unusual friendship, a lost eco-system and a cut-off island. April and her father go to live at an Arctic outpost on Bear Island for his scientific research, where no polar bears are left. Except on one long summer night, April meets one. The bear is starving, lonely and a long way from his home and she is adamant she will save him. This story is about April’s journey and how much difference one small person can make in the world.

~ Anthony Burt

Anthony Burt has worked in primary, secondary and adult education for over twenty years, and run inspiring community youth work, art, film and TV projects for children with SEND. He’s a professional slime-maker, qualified teacher, book festival host, and loyal butler to his cat, Watson. Anthony has been writing since he was five-years-old, and has written scripts for CiTV, Doctor Who Adventures magazine, Nickelodeon, and Disney. The Animal Lighthouse is his debut middle-grade pirate adventure novel. Follow Anthony on Twitter @AnthonyJBurt.

The Animal Lighthouse, published by Guppy Books, is out on May 12th!

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