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Tree Castle Island
Fourteen-year-old Jack sets out in a handmade canoe for the legendary Okefenokee Swamp. But after several idyllic days of exploring, he's hit with some bad luck. He can't find his way home, and he runs into a hungry alligator who takes a bite out of his canoe. When he pulls up to a remote island, he finds another a mystery that will reach far into his own past . . . and force him to question the world he's left behind.
256 pages, Paperback
First published April 30, 2002
7 people are currently reading
441 people want to read
About the author
Jean Craighead George
204 books1,516 followersJean Craighead George wrote over eighty popular books for young adults, including the Newbery Medal-winning Julie of the Wolves and the Newbery Honor book My Side of the Mountain. Most of her books deal with topics related to the environment and the natural world. While she mostly wrote children's fiction, she also wrote at least two guides to cooking with wild foods, and an autobiography, Journey Inward.
The mother of three children, (Twig C. George, Craig, and T. Luke George) Jean George was a grandmother who joyfully read to her grandchildren since the time they were born. Over the years Jean George kept one hundred and seventy-three pets, not including dogs and cats, in her home in Chappaqua, New York. "Most of these wild animals depart in autumn when the sun changes their behaviour and they feel the urge to migrate or go off alone. While they are with us, however, they become characters in my books, articles, and stories."
The mother of three children, (Twig C. George, Craig, and T. Luke George) Jean George was a grandmother who joyfully read to her grandchildren since the time they were born. Over the years Jean George kept one hundred and seventy-three pets, not including dogs and cats, in her home in Chappaqua, New York. "Most of these wild animals depart in autumn when the sun changes their behaviour and they feel the urge to migrate or go off alone. While they are with us, however, they become characters in my books, articles, and stories."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
March 16, 2017
This was a very intriguing book. I would definitely recommend to to anyone that loves adventure. The beginning was a little bit slow but towards the end I was on the edge of my seat reading on to see what was going to happen next. It definitely had a spunk of adventure!!!
January 29, 2025
What a magical middle grade novel with a great story line and excellent nature writing. I cannot wait to hand this to my nature loving eleven year old!
January 12, 2012
My thoughts on Tree Castle Island
Have you ever read a book that just doesn't keep you satisfied? Well Tree Castle Island will... with all it's adventure and mysteries you'll be on your feet wanting to read more. With it's twist and turns you'll be satisfied reading this book and if you like the wilderness you will love this book.
The Tree Castle Island by Jean C. George is a fiction book and it is a hardcover. This is a mystery about a kid named jack who gets lost in a swamp and uncovers a lot about himself. Jack, the main character, needs to find his way to paradise island from the swamp because when he was riding his canoe the alligators destroyed it and Jack got lost in the swamp. In that a island he meets his brother Jake and Jack finds out a lot about himself from his brother Jake.
This book is alright but the author should of put more problem and twists in the beginning of the book instead of the middle of the book. Also, the author put all the interesting parts in the middle. Reading the beginning is just like reading a article from the news paper it gets interesting as you go on. In the end of the book it was a little upsetting and shocking because you don't expect it to end that way but just reading it Is interesting.
Everyone should read this book because most of the books they read is thrilling and scary but this book is different it isn't like most books. This is shocking and has a great twist. This book may seem like a waste of time in the beginning but as you go more into the middle of the book it gets shocking and more and more interesting. I promise you if you read this book they will want to read it again and again until they get bored and tired of Tree Castle Island.
All in all this book is wonderful the book says it is for 10-12 year old but I found it wonderful to read. I will read this book when I'm a adult that is how good I found it to be. The only parts I didn't like in the book was the beginning and the end. The beginning ,as I said, is like reading a article from the newspaper it get interesting. The ending I found shocking but not interesting at all it just made reading the wonderful book a waste of time I'm sure a kid could guess the ending. But besides that it was really good book.
Have you ever read a book that just doesn't keep you satisfied? Well Tree Castle Island will... with all it's adventure and mysteries you'll be on your feet wanting to read more. With it's twist and turns you'll be satisfied reading this book and if you like the wilderness you will love this book.
The Tree Castle Island by Jean C. George is a fiction book and it is a hardcover. This is a mystery about a kid named jack who gets lost in a swamp and uncovers a lot about himself. Jack, the main character, needs to find his way to paradise island from the swamp because when he was riding his canoe the alligators destroyed it and Jack got lost in the swamp. In that a island he meets his brother Jake and Jack finds out a lot about himself from his brother Jake.
This book is alright but the author should of put more problem and twists in the beginning of the book instead of the middle of the book. Also, the author put all the interesting parts in the middle. Reading the beginning is just like reading a article from the news paper it gets interesting as you go on. In the end of the book it was a little upsetting and shocking because you don't expect it to end that way but just reading it Is interesting.
Everyone should read this book because most of the books they read is thrilling and scary but this book is different it isn't like most books. This is shocking and has a great twist. This book may seem like a waste of time in the beginning but as you go more into the middle of the book it gets shocking and more and more interesting. I promise you if you read this book they will want to read it again and again until they get bored and tired of Tree Castle Island.
All in all this book is wonderful the book says it is for 10-12 year old but I found it wonderful to read. I will read this book when I'm a adult that is how good I found it to be. The only parts I didn't like in the book was the beginning and the end. The beginning ,as I said, is like reading a article from the newspaper it get interesting. The ending I found shocking but not interesting at all it just made reading the wonderful book a waste of time I'm sure a kid could guess the ending. But besides that it was really good book.
May 16, 2010
We read this book while on our trip to Florida. We too went canoeing in the marsh lands and saw several alligators and crocodiles close enough to make me fervently pray for my children's canoes not to tip over.
It was the book that help me fall asleep at night after I received the call that my mother passed away in Mexico.
This book was well written with enough detail to make it feel as if we were sharing the adventure, it had great information about the back waters and islands and the flora and fauna in it. I enjoyed how the ingenuity of the boy helped him build a safe sleeping area up in the trees and how he explained that mosquitoes would not fly higher than six feet above ground. It had tension in it and suspense enough to want me to read all the way through in one sitting, which unlike myself, I did not do. I paced it so we could prolong the joy of it. It had a great surprise in that the character suddenly encounters a boy identical to himself right there in his island, while he is totally lost and just surviving. It made us all wonder if the boy was hallucinating or if it was completely true and just miraculous.
The ending is completely credible and "ENDdearing"...(242pgs)
It was the book that help me fall asleep at night after I received the call that my mother passed away in Mexico.
This book was well written with enough detail to make it feel as if we were sharing the adventure, it had great information about the back waters and islands and the flora and fauna in it. I enjoyed how the ingenuity of the boy helped him build a safe sleeping area up in the trees and how he explained that mosquitoes would not fly higher than six feet above ground. It had tension in it and suspense enough to want me to read all the way through in one sitting, which unlike myself, I did not do. I paced it so we could prolong the joy of it. It had a great surprise in that the character suddenly encounters a boy identical to himself right there in his island, while he is totally lost and just surviving. It made us all wonder if the boy was hallucinating or if it was completely true and just miraculous.
The ending is completely credible and "ENDdearing"...(242pgs)
November 7, 2017
audiobook
Story: B-, Narration: A
Not a review, just some thoughts for personal reference. Spoilers.
Some spellings may be off since I listened rather than read.
Jack Hawkins lives with his parents in Atlanta, but is staying with his Uncle Hemp (sp?) in the Okefenokee Swamp (as he often does) while his parents are on an extended trip to Europe. The uncle lives a basic life, something like you could imagine from a century ago, and that suits Jack just fine. He loves the flora and fauna of the swamp, and he's often left to his own devices for long periods of time. When his uncle goes away for an extended period to help a distant neighbor, Jack takes off exploring in his hand-made canoe.
When his canoe is damaged, Jack is on his own until he can figure out a way to repair it. He has various adventures with the weather and wildlife until he finds an abandoned camp. He works on his canoe, but is entirely content just where he is for the time being. He has come across a dead bear, a mother who was still nursing, and carves up the meat. He's surprised when he also finds a dog that looks just like his own dog that he left at his uncles home. This dog even responds to the name Dizzy and seems to recognize Jack, but doesn't like the sound of his voice. Things get even more strange when he eventually meets up with Dizzy's real owner, a boy named Jake that looks just like him. Jake says he was adopted and asks if Jack was, too, but Jack refuses to believe his parents wouldn't have told him.
Jake and Jack hang out at the abandoned camp together with Dizzy, a pair of wild turkeys that have imprinted on Jake, and a bear cub. The same bear cub that the mama bear was nursing. Jack takes over the care of the bear cub, but he's sickly and not doing well. Jake's afraid they'll have to kill it to put it out of its misery, but Jack's adamant against it. He's sure his uncle's home remedy can cure it. Jake's upset because he's the one who killed the mama. He accidentally caused her to break her leg in a trap. Knowing that she couldn't survive with a broken leg, he strangled her by hanging. :-( Jake's adopted father is a wildlife warden, and Jake knows he'll be in trouble for killing a protected, studied bear in the preserve.
At one point, 3 tough boys come across J&J in their camp. They've lost their way and want some of J&J's supplies. They seem the type that wouldn't be above just taking the stuff they want, but offer to play poker for it. They do, and J&J basically clean them out. Things are tense, but Jack tells them they were just playing, and don't want most of the stuff they won except for a few items. And Jack agrees to lead them to the way out of the swamp, which he does. Unfortunately, on his way back, he makes a wrong turn and gets lost. He eventually makes his way back home to his uncle's house. (While gone, Jake uses the home remedy on the cub and he recovers.)
Jack decides to go to the courthouse/records office to see if there's a birth certificate for him there that might shed some information on his parents. There's not. He's half convinced that he imagined the whole thing with Jake and Dizzy until he runs into Jake's GF who's angry because Jack is acting as if he doesn't know her. Jack then finds Jake and learns that there's a court date in a few days over the bear killing. Jack's determined to help and shows up at the courthouse, confuses the judge and lawyers with the twin thing, raises the possibility that the bear wasn't actually on the preserve but outside of the line, etc. The judge basically gives up and lets Jake off. (Conveniently, Jake's father didn't accompany him, letting Jake face his punishment like a man.)
Jake and Jack agree to confront both sets of parents at Uncle Hemp's house. Jack's parents are due back from Europe and Jake arranges for his father to meet him there. After spending some time in the swamp, they arrive at the house and meet up with everyone. Turns out Uncle Hemp is their real father. His wife died birthing them and he/local woman arranged for both families to take one of them. Jack's mother had convinced herself that she actually was Jack's mother, which is why she never told him the truth. Things ended with the boys saying they'd never be separated again. They agreed to go back to their respective adopted parents, but would spend as much time as possible together.
So, I liked the first part of the book a lot--the Swiss Family Robinson part and the descriptions of the swamp. A perfect adventure. The further along in the book, tho, the more it fell apart for me. And the ending was rushed, unrealistic, and unsatisfying. Once I knew the boys were twins, I guess Hemp was their father. It was clear that Jack liked him way more than he did his adopted father, who was pretty much a douche, imo. (I wonder how close Jack will stay with his parents in the future.) I would have liked more particulars about how the boys were going to manage to be together. I'd also have liked more of an apology for splitting them up.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 1, 2020
This book is a mixed bag for me. The atmosphere and the adventure I feel is great, but then the actual outcome is strange. Read it in one night because it was compelling enough to keep reading but the sum of the parts didn't add up in the end. It's one of those stories that took a unexpected turn that I don't know if it pays off. Part of it is that the first half of the book is about the mystery of nature and beautiful wildlife that is disappearing. The writing is excellent and fluid in the best ways.
But then there's the twist. The post twist section of the book falls apart. It wasn't until this part that I realized the book was in a more or less contemporary setting. Everything up to this point felt 1950's or earlier when children had a lot more freedom to explore and people's socioeconomic situations were a lot more blue collar. But then's there's cellphones. But also poor record keeping. The fact that the brothers were separated at birth without zero questions from the problem of things like social security numbers, birth certificates, actual adoption papers etc.. If this book was back when record keeping was actually sketchy is unpopulated counties, I could see this.
In the end, the two halves of the book don't gel exactly.
But then there's the twist. The post twist section of the book falls apart. It wasn't until this part that I realized the book was in a more or less contemporary setting. Everything up to this point felt 1950's or earlier when children had a lot more freedom to explore and people's socioeconomic situations were a lot more blue collar. But then's there's cellphones. But also poor record keeping. The fact that the brothers were separated at birth without zero questions from the problem of things like social security numbers, birth certificates, actual adoption papers etc.. If this book was back when record keeping was actually sketchy is unpopulated counties, I could see this.
In the end, the two halves of the book don't gel exactly.
April 29, 2020
For starters. I LOVE JEAN CRAIGHEAD GEORGE!!! Always have & always will!!! I fell in love with this author when I was in the 6th grade and even wrote to her asking her to visit my school. I received a post card back saying that though she appreciated the offer she would have to decline due to being out of town doing research for another book. It is something I will always cherish. RIP! <3
Now....as for the review. Honestly, I love anything this woman wrote, her stories never disappoint me. You can really tell she does her research before writing her stories so you can definitely walk away from each one with more knowledge then you had before.
This book really took me away from the real world and took me on a ride of a lifetime as a child. I wanted to build a house, by hand, in a tree. Just like in the story. I wanted to live out in the wild and live off the land. All of her stories are magical....if youre thinking of reading this just do it!! You WONT regret it. :)
Now....as for the review. Honestly, I love anything this woman wrote, her stories never disappoint me. You can really tell she does her research before writing her stories so you can definitely walk away from each one with more knowledge then you had before.
This book really took me away from the real world and took me on a ride of a lifetime as a child. I wanted to build a house, by hand, in a tree. Just like in the story. I wanted to live out in the wild and live off the land. All of her stories are magical....if youre thinking of reading this just do it!! You WONT regret it. :)
October 24, 2023
The story starts off with Jack, the protagonist going into the okefenokee swamp, and he soon finds himself lost. With a lot of mysteries going around, can Jack solve them and get back home or will he be stuck in the swamp forever?
I read this book for the co-op my mom hosts. While there are no clear antagonists, there are some people Jack gets angry at, but i can’t really say who without spoiling the story. Though the book does make you think about who you can trust.
This book is set in the 2000s
In my opinion, it wasn't a terrible book, but not a great one either. But I usually only read fantasy/Science fiction books more, so i don't really appeal to this type of books, so if you like either history or non fantasy, i would recommend this book to you. But for those who don’t like this kind of book in general, I wouldn't recommend it.
I read this book for the co-op my mom hosts. While there are no clear antagonists, there are some people Jack gets angry at, but i can’t really say who without spoiling the story. Though the book does make you think about who you can trust.
This book is set in the 2000s
In my opinion, it wasn't a terrible book, but not a great one either. But I usually only read fantasy/Science fiction books more, so i don't really appeal to this type of books, so if you like either history or non fantasy, i would recommend this book to you. But for those who don’t like this kind of book in general, I wouldn't recommend it.
February 13, 2020
Four stars for the amazing description of the Okefenokee swamp. The natural world in this book is absolutely amazing. However, if you are reading this book with no context for what these things and creatures are, it may be a little inaccessible.
In order to help my students, I created a slideshow of the plants and animals and unfamiliar topics to provide images to go along beautiful descriptions.
It’s a great book for Georgia students! It’s very unique that there is a kids book about the Okefenokee!
The story is a little flimsy.. the ending abrupt. This book is purely for the description of the natural world. No deeper level meaning of the story.
In order to help my students, I created a slideshow of the plants and animals and unfamiliar topics to provide images to go along beautiful descriptions.
It’s a great book for Georgia students! It’s very unique that there is a kids book about the Okefenokee!
The story is a little flimsy.. the ending abrupt. This book is purely for the description of the natural world. No deeper level meaning of the story.
April 26, 2022
This ranks with My Side of the Mountain as one of our favorites from Jean Craighead George. My kids loved it - often begging for one more chapter - and I enjoyed reading it.
Trigger warning: for those with adoption in their stories there is a significant part of the story where the main character discovers he's adopted and his parents never told him. He deals with feelings of betrayal, wondering whether he can trust his parents, and who they even are if they've lied to him for 14 years. For families who have open discussions about their childrens' adoptions, this won't likely be a big problem (for us it was merely a discussion point), but be aware, it's there.
Trigger warning: for those with adoption in their stories there is a significant part of the story where the main character discovers he's adopted and his parents never told him. He deals with feelings of betrayal, wondering whether he can trust his parents, and who they even are if they've lied to him for 14 years. For families who have open discussions about their childrens' adoptions, this won't likely be a big problem (for us it was merely a discussion point), but be aware, it's there.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 24, 2025
The descriptions of nature in this book are beautiful and compelling, making it a wonderful introduction to Georgia’s Okefenokee Swamp. It certainly made me want to go there myself! The book also includes a number of illustrations by the author. These, too, are lovely and enchanting. The plot is intriguing and touches on a number of powerful themes. However, I found the ending to be a disappointment. It was abrupt, and to me it felt unfinished. I wanted just a bit more closure. In spite of that, I did enjoy the book and would heartily recommend it for children (10 and up) or adults who are interested in nature, Georgia, or the Okefenokee Swamp.
June 20, 2018
Tree Castle Island was a perfect story. I loved My Side of the Mountain and its sequel and couldn't believe it when I saw this book. It's hard to imagine being able to write a wilderness adventure set in these modern times, but the swamp was the right place to make it work. It was everything I wanted in a book and more with the unexpected addtion of what Jack discovers.
The survival skills were feasible and I loved the way it all played out. What an adventure! I would recommend this story to anyone who loves the outdoors. I enjoyed every page! Thank you Jean Craighead George!
The survival skills were feasible and I loved the way it all played out. What an adventure! I would recommend this story to anyone who loves the outdoors. I enjoyed every page! Thank you Jean Craighead George!
October 24, 2021
Survival fiction meets Parent Trap. This book had me guessing to the very end whether it was survival fiction or fantasy or mystery. The added twists made it difficult to put down. However, I’m looking for books for my kids and I think the twists would be lost on my 8 year old. I’ll save it for a few years from now. A good read with minimal romance (just reference to a girlfriend), respect for parents. Refers to poltergeist when trying to make sense of unusual occurrences but nothing actually supernatural occurs.
June 22, 2019
Fourteen-year-old Jack decides to go off exploring in his home-made canoe in the Georgia swampland. Fast-paced and interesting, but a lot of implausible coincidence and happenstance.
March 15, 2022
I loved the sense of adventure this book gave. I loved the plot twist half-way through. The information dump of what's in the swamp and how to do things in the swamp was fairly well done. I didn't feel overwhelmed, though there was a lot of information in there.
Early on, the Uncle's wife's name changed mid-paragraph which confused me a bit.
And they had desert after dinner in the swamp!
Religious objections:
There are two instances of evolution mentioned.
Early on, the Uncle's wife's name changed mid-paragraph which confused me a bit.
And they had desert after dinner in the swamp!
Religious objections:
There are two instances of evolution mentioned.
November 1, 2019
Jack goes exploring the Okefenokee Swamp and ends up getting getting lost. He ends up on on an island he calls Paradise Island. After surviving alone for a few days he gets a surprising visitor. Jack and Jake immediately realize that they are identical twins. Now they must discover the mystery of their birth and how they ended up being adopted.
December 20, 2020
I loved the up close look at the swamp just north of my home. I would be uncomfortable with the Sun Daughters and Swamp Poltergeists if I was recommending this book to a younger reader. Overall it is a fantastic story for Middle grades readers and older. The ecological descriptions and concerns are presented in an enjoyable and memorable way.
September 1, 2024
I loved this book! I know that it's probably gonna make some Jean Craighead George fans mad, but honestly this is way better than My Side of the Mountain (which, don't get me wrong, I do love). The twins are absolutely the best - especially when winning a poker game and saving each other's backs in court.
January 30, 2018
Reread of an old favorite: WHAT A BOOK. The description is stunning and I genuinely have learned a lot of my survival knowledge from this book.
At first, it may feel like it is slow, but believe you me, it picks up. It's such a good book (it made my mother cry....in a good way).
At first, it may feel like it is slow, but believe you me, it picks up. It's such a good book (it made my mother cry....in a good way).
June 24, 2020
Great and entertaining book, was difficult to understand the amount of time passing in the story. This book is not as great as George’s My Side of the Mountain, but it is still a wonderful book. I especially enjoyed Dizzy the dog.
March 22, 2021
I love JCG's recurring kids-surviving-in-the -wilderness plot lines. This one was slightly less appealing to me, taking place in Southern swamps (which are totally foreign to me) as opposed to the Catskills of My Side of the Mountain, but still very good.
February 13, 2023
I guess boys getting lost and having to learn to survive for an extended period just aren't my thing. I tried to read My Side of the Mountain and felt the same way about it. Tedious and boring. If you're super outdoorsy you would probably enjoy this.
October 23, 2024
My second favorite book by Jean Craighead George (my favorite is My Side Of The Mountain), it is a book about Jack and Jake and there adventures in the swamp, camping on the book's namesake. Good summer read!
July 30, 2025
This book should get more attention. It is about a boy exploring in the Okefenokee swamp. You learn a lot about the habitats in the great Swamp, it contains lakes and rivers and all kind of wildlife.
February 13, 2019
great book!
April 27, 2020
First it was boring but when he had a twin it got really interesting.But the most interesting part was that uncle Hamp was the father of the twins.👬mind blown!!!🤯🤯
June 13, 2021
I would have loved it in middle school.
Jean Craighead George tells great wilderness tales, with resourceful tweens and teens who are strong and resilient.
Jean Craighead George tells great wilderness tales, with resourceful tweens and teens who are strong and resilient.
Read
August 1, 2021Reread of a childhood favorite ☺️
November 11, 2022
This is my 10 yr old daughter's absolute favorite book this year. She gives it 5 stars.
February 2, 2023
What did I just read?
So weird.
Not recommended.
So weird.
Not recommended.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews