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Garbage Island
Mr. Popli, the mouse mayor of Garbage Island, is always at odds with Archibald Shrew, a brilliant but reckless inventor. When Garbage Island, their home in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, splits apart, they are trapped together in Mr. Popli's houseboat, desperate to find their way back home. At first, they only argue, but when they face a perilous thunderstorm and a series of predators, they begin to work together and recognize - in themselves and in each other - strengths they didn't know they had.
288 pages, Hardcover
Published October 9, 2018
5 people are currently reading
82 people want to read
About the author
Fred Koehler
16 books14 followersFred Koehler is an artist and writer whose real-life misadventures include sunken boats, shark encounters, and getting caught in a hurricane. Whether freediving in the Gulf of Mexico or backpacking across Africa, Fred's sense of adventure and awe of nature overflow into his characters' stories. He won a Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Award for his illustrations for One Day, The End. Fred is passionate about encouraging young artists, promoting social justice, and conserving our environment. He lives in Florida with his wife, kids, and a rescue dog named Cheerio Mutt-Face McChubbybutt. Visit www.ilikefred.com
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
September 29, 2020
I have a completely irrational dislike of nautical books (once you talk about masts and rigging my brain shuts down) so I didn't love this one as much as I would have if it were not set on the ocean. That being said, it's a good animal adventure story with fun inventions and I think it would be a great read aloud for families to read together. Although it's a kid's book, adults would enjoy reading this along with their children, and it would be appropriate for a wide range of ages. Hand this to fans of Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH or other animal adventures.
September 13, 2019
Our family enjoyed reading Garbage Island together. It was a great story that kept our interest. We loved the characters. Garbage Island is one of our favorite books now. We look forward to reading the sequel!!
October 4, 2018
A book that will span many readers and age levels, everyone will find something they love about this book!
December 8, 2018
I love Archibald Shrew. He actually reminds me of Tinkerbell, specifically from the movie Tinkerbell and the Lost Treasure. Archie is a genius; he just is a genius that sometimes makes a mess when he is creating or may forget something essential if he’s brainstorming or might put him or someone else in danger if trying something new. But he is just so gosh darn lovable! From the very first page when we meet him, and he’s trying out his bicycle invention. Archie is obviously just ahead of his time. And while Mr. Popli starts off as a bit of a stern, uptight character, he is forced to see what is most important through this journey. Lastly, Merri. She is a special character who I connect with so much. She tries so hard to take care of everyone. She is never not helping or doing something; everyone can rely on her. But she also feels a lot of pressure to be a caregiver in so many different ways; so much that she pushes herself way too hard sometimes. It is because of these three characters plus the plot arc of Mr. Popli and Archie’s nearly always perilous adventure that this book is hard to put down. I know this is going to be one that Trent and I will read when he is a bit older: so much to unpack and just so entertaining!
Full review with teaching tools: http://www.unleashingreaders.com/?p=1...
Full review with teaching tools: http://www.unleashingreaders.com/?p=1...
April 2, 2025
My kids and I randomly picked this off the shelves at the library and were SO pleasantly surprised. Suspenseful, funny, heart-felt with great character arc and reads almost like a movie. Easy for the kids to follow but plenty of challenging vocabulary sprinkled in. I think there could be a couple less chapters in the middle of the story but for the most part I was very impressed by this book I had never heard of!
August 9, 2023
Full disclaimer, I do read kids' books from time to time. Yes, I can read novels with fancy words no problems but especially since my son was born, I find myself diving back into books primarily of the middle school (8-12) age. I try to be a good parent and before I hand over to him a book (especially one that's longer than a full description of Batman and his lineup of famous villains), I want to know what's in it. But it's way more than appropriate content, I want him to appreciate writing by finding great adventure. Today's review, Garbage Island by Fred Koehler is one of those such books.
First, a great thank you to the author to understand that every wonderful adventure needs a map and this one did not disappoint. It helped set the tone in a fantastic way for the next thirty nine chapters. Garbage Island is the tale of Archibald Shrew, a shrew who is an inventor of many things. Some of these inventions work, and some of them do not. He lives with other rodents, insects and other animals aboard what is known as Garbage Island (based on an unfortunate pile of trash in the Pacific). Most of these other living beings do not like Archibald, it has even been discussed that they should exile him from this very island.
However, there is one creature that keeps the peace on the Island and does his best to keep Archibald out of trouble. His name is Mayor Popli and he is a mouse that governs over the island. Archibald also has a friend in Merri, a small yellow bird who happens to be the only one of her kind that stays with the residents of the island. One day, disaster strikes and the island falls apart. This puts Archibald and Mayor Popli on a floating adventure to other locations, many of which are quite hostile. All in an attempt to get back to their floating colony which has their own problems to deal with. This sets up a finale which leads the way for what should be a sequel in I hope the near future (however, it's been about five years so I'm not entirely sure if it will have a follow up).
The characters are great in this book. They aren't all mice or all shrews. We have birds, snakes, dung beetles and spiders along with other creatures of different types. All of which get ample time to shine (or darken) the pages of this novel. Another mark of a great book is that the chapters flow incredibly well here. The plot doesn't get stalled and we can always see the next course of events in short order. At the same time, I did feel involved in the story and wanting to see what the next page had to offer. Furthermore, the garbage isn't just a prop or some backdrop, it actually plays a part in many of these events until the conclusion of this novel.
Negatives are hard to find in this book. The characters tend be a bit shallow in their depth but we aren't talking 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea here, this is intended for eight to twelve year old's who don't mind talking animals riding around on pieces of trash in the open sea. It's a whole lot of fun and the book could be extremely preachy. But it's not preachy one bit, yes we know that the swirling vortex of consumption out in the Pacific is probably a very bad thing, but this book only concerns us with the imaginative adventure that is taking place. We can escape with the contents of this book for a little bit of time before looking at our Peanut Butter Cookie Larabar wrapping and worrying about how much we contribute to it.
This one gets an easy recommendation from me and will certainly find its way to my son's bookshelf. Heck, if I wasn't blessed to have a son, it would go up on my own bookshelf along side Witcher and Shannara novels. It presents a fantastic story and it plays out with a wide variety of characters and incidents. The chapters move along quickly and this is one of those novels that could easily be finished in a weekend (though with my busy schedule, it took a while longer). I can only hope that Fred Koehler decides to take on a sequel as this really shows promise in his first chapter book (he normally does kids' picture books).
Oh wait, I would be amiss if I did not mention the illustrations in this book. Even though they are black and white, they leave plenty of room for detail and imagination. Kids and adults will find themselves staring at them for minutes on end before they remember that they need to finish that next chapter. Again, I fully enjoy this book and hope that many others will pick it up too. Take care readers.
First, a great thank you to the author to understand that every wonderful adventure needs a map and this one did not disappoint. It helped set the tone in a fantastic way for the next thirty nine chapters. Garbage Island is the tale of Archibald Shrew, a shrew who is an inventor of many things. Some of these inventions work, and some of them do not. He lives with other rodents, insects and other animals aboard what is known as Garbage Island (based on an unfortunate pile of trash in the Pacific). Most of these other living beings do not like Archibald, it has even been discussed that they should exile him from this very island.
However, there is one creature that keeps the peace on the Island and does his best to keep Archibald out of trouble. His name is Mayor Popli and he is a mouse that governs over the island. Archibald also has a friend in Merri, a small yellow bird who happens to be the only one of her kind that stays with the residents of the island. One day, disaster strikes and the island falls apart. This puts Archibald and Mayor Popli on a floating adventure to other locations, many of which are quite hostile. All in an attempt to get back to their floating colony which has their own problems to deal with. This sets up a finale which leads the way for what should be a sequel in I hope the near future (however, it's been about five years so I'm not entirely sure if it will have a follow up).
The characters are great in this book. They aren't all mice or all shrews. We have birds, snakes, dung beetles and spiders along with other creatures of different types. All of which get ample time to shine (or darken) the pages of this novel. Another mark of a great book is that the chapters flow incredibly well here. The plot doesn't get stalled and we can always see the next course of events in short order. At the same time, I did feel involved in the story and wanting to see what the next page had to offer. Furthermore, the garbage isn't just a prop or some backdrop, it actually plays a part in many of these events until the conclusion of this novel.
Negatives are hard to find in this book. The characters tend be a bit shallow in their depth but we aren't talking 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea here, this is intended for eight to twelve year old's who don't mind talking animals riding around on pieces of trash in the open sea. It's a whole lot of fun and the book could be extremely preachy. But it's not preachy one bit, yes we know that the swirling vortex of consumption out in the Pacific is probably a very bad thing, but this book only concerns us with the imaginative adventure that is taking place. We can escape with the contents of this book for a little bit of time before looking at our Peanut Butter Cookie Larabar wrapping and worrying about how much we contribute to it.
This one gets an easy recommendation from me and will certainly find its way to my son's bookshelf. Heck, if I wasn't blessed to have a son, it would go up on my own bookshelf along side Witcher and Shannara novels. It presents a fantastic story and it plays out with a wide variety of characters and incidents. The chapters move along quickly and this is one of those novels that could easily be finished in a weekend (though with my busy schedule, it took a while longer). I can only hope that Fred Koehler decides to take on a sequel as this really shows promise in his first chapter book (he normally does kids' picture books).
Oh wait, I would be amiss if I did not mention the illustrations in this book. Even though they are black and white, they leave plenty of room for detail and imagination. Kids and adults will find themselves staring at them for minutes on end before they remember that they need to finish that next chapter. Again, I fully enjoy this book and hope that many others will pick it up too. Take care readers.
November 27, 2018
I was thrilled to win this book in a giveaway conducted by Unleashing Learners. Mr. Popli is responsible and dependable. As mayor, he wants his island to thrive in peace. It’s clear that every action he takes is carefully planned in an effort to keep the animals of Garbage Island safe. Archibald Shrew, on the other hand, is impulsive and reckless. However, he is incredibly gifted in his ability to make things from nothing. Archie looks at a pile of garbage and only sees possibilities. But he does tend to break a lot of rules and constantly find himself in trouble with his community.
While there are multiple other characters with well-developed personalities that add depth to the story, these two friends carry this book, providing both meaningful and humorous dialogue from start to finish:
The dialogue is such fun to read and the story provides a good backdrop for discussions of having empathy for an enemy (or someone very different from us). The detailed descriptions of the islands, of various inventions, and of the other animals and insects, coupled with the occasional black and white illustration, had me fully involved in this tale. The story has a sequel on the way and I, for one, intend to follow-up to see where Garbage Island takes us, next! My thanks to Kellee and Ricki at Unleashing Learners and to Boyds Mills Press for doing the giveaway that allowed me to win this book. If you visit the publisher’s website, they have an PDF Educator’s Guide (look for it in GREEN) that you can download to help guide classroom discussion.
For more #kidlit, #mglit, and #yalit book reviews, please visit my blog: The Miller Memo.
While there are multiple other characters with well-developed personalities that add depth to the story, these two friends carry this book, providing both meaningful and humorous dialogue from start to finish:
“Archibald,” said Mr. Popli.
“Yes?”
“Didn’t I suggest that we install the steering mechanism on the inside?”
“Yes. Yes, you did.”
“Is it okay if I choose this moment to say I told you so?”
“Only if it makes you feel better about our upcoming death.”
“I think it might.”
“Then by all means, go ahead.”
“I told you so.”
The dialogue is such fun to read and the story provides a good backdrop for discussions of having empathy for an enemy (or someone very different from us). The detailed descriptions of the islands, of various inventions, and of the other animals and insects, coupled with the occasional black and white illustration, had me fully involved in this tale. The story has a sequel on the way and I, for one, intend to follow-up to see where Garbage Island takes us, next! My thanks to Kellee and Ricki at Unleashing Learners and to Boyds Mills Press for doing the giveaway that allowed me to win this book. If you visit the publisher’s website, they have an PDF Educator’s Guide (look for it in GREEN) that you can download to help guide classroom discussion.
For more #kidlit, #mglit, and #yalit book reviews, please visit my blog: The Miller Memo.
December 27, 2022
For those looking for a book to share with middle schoolers to junior high, I would highly recommend this. Although the writing can be somewhat flat, and some of the minor characters are one-dimensional, I found the world itself to be fascinating and at turns terrifying and delightful. The author notes in the end-note that he was thinking about animals who got trapped on the garbage island in the Pacific ocean and what kind of society they would form. The world he builds reminds me a bit of Wall-E with the detritus of human society serving in ironic and memorable ways throughout. The paperclips, rubber bands, pieces of string, springs, and buttons that we don't think twice about are the cutting tech of this world- used in clever and entertaining ways by all the tiny animal occupants of the world. The cleverest inventor/user of garbage (honestly, he came across as an impatient, NASA engineer know-it-all often in this book) is one of the heroes of the book, Archibald the Shrew. An eccentric and often troublesome character who vacillates between genius flashes of mechanical insight and disastrous impulse control problems. He is paired with the sober, eloquent, and socially adept Mayor mouse, Mr. Popli. I thought the author could have done a better job of noting their personalities, abilities, and quirks early on (for example- up until about halfway through the book I pictured Archie as a young adult, but he appears to be more like Mr. Popli's peer as we go through the book), but as the book progresses, their constant conflict, and the trials and eventual bonding they go through made both of them engaging and memorable. I don't want to spoil too much of the plot, but I will say that this book goes from one thrilling set piece to another. I definitely will be reading this with my kids when they are a little older.
May 3, 2020
There were a few loose ends that in my opinion should have been moored to the story instead of being left to float away: Also, I did not think that Archie is , so the ending is not quite sound. Finally, it was never stated whether .
June 8, 2019
Far out in the Pacific Ocean is an island of floating trash and on it live an assortment of marooned, terrestrial animals. When a pathologically inventive shrew and a conscientious, humanist, mouse are inadvertently set adrift in a milk jug houseboat, the stage is set for a rousing adventure and a beautiful friendship. A great read aloud and an excellent opportunity for kids to repurpose refuse to create their own garbage island adventure.
September 18, 2019
Fred Koehler creates a fantasy world that inspires and challenges young readers. I have read the book three times and created an exciting program for children at the library. This book is destined to become a classics. Read to younger children at bedtime as well. This adventure has all the elements, battles, travels, friendships, inventions and an island of inspirational trash. Eagerly awaiting the next in series.
October 10, 2018
Fun, fast-paced adventure!
There are lots of adventure stories out there (which is a good thing!). But few take place in such an interesting setting- an island of trash in the much larger Pacific garbage patch. Even fewer manage to combine the adventure with funny, nuanced characters that grow and surprise you. This is a great book for the adventurers in your life.
There are lots of adventure stories out there (which is a good thing!). But few take place in such an interesting setting- an island of trash in the much larger Pacific garbage patch. Even fewer manage to combine the adventure with funny, nuanced characters that grow and surprise you. This is a great book for the adventurers in your life.
December 31, 2019
My family of 6 is riveted every night as we read "Garbage Island" together. At the end of every chapter the kids beg us to continue because they know that the next pages hold laughter, suspense, adventure and warmth. This is a must-read for families who want to teach their children that our flaws can be their strengths and life is best lived in a community. Highly recommend this book!
July 31, 2019
Glad there were pictures in this because some things were tough for me to visualize. I think kids will enjoy this animal adventure story .
September 4, 2024
This book was so much fun! I love a book packed with action but also endearing friendships and this book is that! Archibald is seriously misunderstood and feels like he doesn't belong, but it might just be his quirky behavior that saves the whole island. I highly recommend this one!
May 6, 2025
3.8 Loved this book, but it won't change my life. I needed it to take a break from reading about Trump's treason. The idea of animal life on an ocean garbage patch is genius. My favorite part was the conversation of the spiders trying to fool one of our heroes.
January 5, 2019
What would happen if a group of small land animals was stranded on the Great Pacific Garbage Patch? How would they survive? Would they band together, or would they break apart?
June 21, 2019
Fred Koehler at his best! I literally couldn’t put this book down. The action is fierce, the writing smart, the ending satisfying. Plus, illustrations by the author!
November 16, 2022
Great way to raise awareness of the garbage patch and add a comical and adventurous spin to it.!
February 23, 2024
It was such unique story, I love the art scattered throughout the book. My two favorite parts was the snakes and the ending :)
February 13, 2019
Koehler creates an incredible world on Garbage Island with its many inhabitants and their back stories. Children who enjoy animal or adventure tales will admire the interesting cast of characters and the constant action as Archie fights to make it back home. The cartoon digital illustrations found throughout the text, though only in black and white, are well-drawn from interesting perspectives and add personality to the characters. Unfortunately, the language used is a bit too formal and complicated for its intended audience; many readers may feel bogged down by the text and give up before finishing the tale. There is certainly enough action in the plot to keep readers interested in spite of this challenge; the book may work best as a read aloud. Suggest this novel to strong readers in grades 4-6 who love adventure tales, especially those involving animal characters.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews