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We Won an Island #1
We Won an Island
When Luna's family win an island, Luna thinks it will solve everything AND she can finally get a donkey! But things don't go entirely to plan - no one expects Luna's younger brother to win a Sheep Pageant, for example - and the secret festival they hold soon spirals out of control. But the island is beautiful, and the family are happy, and maybe Luna will get her donkey after all...
- GenresChildrensMiddle Grade
155 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 2, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
February 24, 2019
3.5/4 🌟 A great middle grade read. Am definitely reccomending to my younger relatives.
March 21, 2019
In this book we focus on the life of Luna, her sister Margot younger brother Fabien, their hard working mum and depressed after losing his mum, dad as they face eviction and find themselves homeless.
However after entering a competition they see advertised by a millionaire they find their luck changing...
From finding the house in a sorry state and working to fix it, struggling to make friends with the locals, opening a yoga retreat, discovering old treasure and Luna's dream of opening an animal sanctuary there's plenty of action packed into this quick read book but the best bit is the children's surprise for their parents in a bid to make their dad happy once again...
This is a holiday read for a bit of fun but also deals with a lot of serious issues from making friends, dealing with depression and
moving home it touches on issues a lot of children can probably relate to in some way. There's fun to be had from reading this book for everyone from crazy animals to silly behaving siblings you'll not regret picking up this book!
Many thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book for them!
However after entering a competition they see advertised by a millionaire they find their luck changing...
From finding the house in a sorry state and working to fix it, struggling to make friends with the locals, opening a yoga retreat, discovering old treasure and Luna's dream of opening an animal sanctuary there's plenty of action packed into this quick read book but the best bit is the children's surprise for their parents in a bid to make their dad happy once again...
This is a holiday read for a bit of fun but also deals with a lot of serious issues from making friends, dealing with depression and
moving home it touches on issues a lot of children can probably relate to in some way. There's fun to be had from reading this book for everyone from crazy animals to silly behaving siblings you'll not regret picking up this book!
Many thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book for them!
March 1, 2019
What would you do if you owned your very own island?
When Luna wins a remote Scottish island in a competition, she and her family move to live there in the hope that life from now on will be simple and problem-free. What Luna never expects is that island life comes with its own issues, including sheep pageants, bat droppings, crazy storms and secret festivals. This is a quick and quirky read that is filled with harmless humour and strong values of family and community.
Uplifting, entertaining and heaps of fun, this is the kind of story that leaves you feeling like anything is possible.
Thank you to the publisher for sending me a proof copy of this book. The full review will appear on the Booksfortopics blog near the time of publication.
When Luna wins a remote Scottish island in a competition, she and her family move to live there in the hope that life from now on will be simple and problem-free. What Luna never expects is that island life comes with its own issues, including sheep pageants, bat droppings, crazy storms and secret festivals. This is a quick and quirky read that is filled with harmless humour and strong values of family and community.
Uplifting, entertaining and heaps of fun, this is the kind of story that leaves you feeling like anything is possible.
Thank you to the publisher for sending me a proof copy of this book. The full review will appear on the Booksfortopics blog near the time of publication.
June 12, 2020
Just as they are being evicted from their home, Luna and her family win an island! She's sure this means she can finally now have her own donkey sanctuary. Luna, along with her brother and sister, decide to host a festival on the island to make money for their wild schemes.
Luna is so sweet and all she wants (apart from a donkey) is for her family to be happy. I loved all the crazy things she and her siblings got up to. At one point near the end I actually clapped!
Luna is so sweet and all she wants (apart from a donkey) is for her family to be happy. I loved all the crazy things she and her siblings got up to. At one point near the end I actually clapped!
October 13, 2019
I thought the author's writing was good, but the plot was completely implausible - even if you buy into the idea of a billionaire giving away an island.. okay fine... the supposedly working class family with children named Margot, Luna and Fabien seemed extremely ungrateful for this huge opportunity. The character names were unbelievable, the fact that they were evicted seemingly out of the blue, the handling of the Dad's depression... Also, if you were to move from London to rural scotland to open a yoga retreat would you let your (6-8 year old?) son picket the local butcher shop? Would you move to Scotland with cheese and tinned pies? I loved the donkey sanctuary stuff, that the eldest child loves planes and the little boy enjoys knitting, but on the whole this book made me angry.
May 26, 2019
This is the most delightfully uplifting book I’ve read this year! It perfectly conveys the ‘feel-good’ factor of a summer blockbuster – in words! It is reminiscent of simpler and more innocent times, when children made their own entertainment.
The Butterworth family are in a dire situation after they are evicted from their home. Luckily, Luna has entered a competition to win an island courtesy a very generous billionaire – and they do! Rook’s Island is a remote island in Scotland, and is just what the family needs to help them heal after the death of their Gran, which has left their father depressed, and unable to connect with his family.
The children are incredibly believable, and likeable, with distinct personalities. Margot is the more serious, matter-of-fact sibling with a penchant for planes. Luna is entrepreneurial, determined and an eternal optimist with a desire to open a donkey sanctuary. Fabien is the impulsive, gregarious, knitting-loving instigator of many genuinely hilarious moments: where Fabien goes, chaos seems to follow! The relationships between the three siblings are wonderfully heart-warming: realistic, loving, supportive and humorous.
Once they arrive on the island, the children are determined to organise a secret festival in the hope that it will cheer up their Dad. Of course, things don’t go exactly to plan: cue escaping cows, interfering yoga guests, and underaged ice-cream van driving. And so much more!
I loved the sense of community, the episodes of comedic genius and the heart-warming relationships. Although there were some sad and poignant moments relating to their Dad’s depression, this is ultimately a joyously uplifting read. The inclusion of Dad’s depression, handled so deftly by the author, gives families, and teachers, a perfect opening to address some mental health issues should they choose to do so.
I can’t wait to return to next year’s festival!
The Butterworth family are in a dire situation after they are evicted from their home. Luckily, Luna has entered a competition to win an island courtesy a very generous billionaire – and they do! Rook’s Island is a remote island in Scotland, and is just what the family needs to help them heal after the death of their Gran, which has left their father depressed, and unable to connect with his family.
The children are incredibly believable, and likeable, with distinct personalities. Margot is the more serious, matter-of-fact sibling with a penchant for planes. Luna is entrepreneurial, determined and an eternal optimist with a desire to open a donkey sanctuary. Fabien is the impulsive, gregarious, knitting-loving instigator of many genuinely hilarious moments: where Fabien goes, chaos seems to follow! The relationships between the three siblings are wonderfully heart-warming: realistic, loving, supportive and humorous.
Once they arrive on the island, the children are determined to organise a secret festival in the hope that it will cheer up their Dad. Of course, things don’t go exactly to plan: cue escaping cows, interfering yoga guests, and underaged ice-cream van driving. And so much more!
I loved the sense of community, the episodes of comedic genius and the heart-warming relationships. Although there were some sad and poignant moments relating to their Dad’s depression, this is ultimately a joyously uplifting read. The inclusion of Dad’s depression, handled so deftly by the author, gives families, and teachers, a perfect opening to address some mental health issues should they choose to do so.
I can’t wait to return to next year’s festival!
April 30, 2019
What a lively, happy & chaotic story of a family who are struggling since Grandma died. The dad is depressed. An eviction notice arrives.
Luckily the competition Luna entered to win a billionaires island of the coast of Scotland has closed & the family can move in instantly.
Making a less than graceful impression on the locals during a cakeathon, the Butterworths find a mansion, some stables & lots of goats are there already.
The mother sets about inviting people for a yoga retreat as a source of income, the dad is still grieving.
Meanwhile the cheeky siblings decide to hold a fete to get money for Luna's donkey sanctuary & Margot's plane repairs. Fabien is happy following goats trying to get their wool for his knitting creations.
When a storm hits their island everything gets wrecked, can they fix it in time?
This was a really fun read. The creative imaginations of the children was wonderful. I especially liked Fabien dressing up as a sheep & getting a prize in the villages sheep beauty pageant. It made me smile a lot.
Luckily the competition Luna entered to win a billionaires island of the coast of Scotland has closed & the family can move in instantly.
Making a less than graceful impression on the locals during a cakeathon, the Butterworths find a mansion, some stables & lots of goats are there already.
The mother sets about inviting people for a yoga retreat as a source of income, the dad is still grieving.
Meanwhile the cheeky siblings decide to hold a fete to get money for Luna's donkey sanctuary & Margot's plane repairs. Fabien is happy following goats trying to get their wool for his knitting creations.
When a storm hits their island everything gets wrecked, can they fix it in time?
This was a really fun read. The creative imaginations of the children was wonderful. I especially liked Fabien dressing up as a sheep & getting a prize in the villages sheep beauty pageant. It made me smile a lot.
April 6, 2019
In her debut novel, Chrlotte Lo tells the story of a family who are going through a pretty tough time as they move to a remote Scottish island after they win a completion run by the very eccentric billionaire who owns it. It is narrated by middle child Luna, who is so optimistic and caring that it was a joy to see things from her viewpoint. I loved her utterly. The supporting characters are also excellent- her siblings Fabien and Margot are delightfully, hilariously madcap in very different ways, Kai was a total sweetheart and I loved getting to know him and her parents and the vast array of quirky islanders were a lot of fun too. Another thing that was lovely about this book was how gentle it was, and how it still managed to be exciting and super fun to follow along with at the same time. This is basically sunshine in book form, and I highly recommend it if you`re looking for a book to brighten every day you spend reading it. 4.5/5
April 10, 2019
Luna and her family are facing eviction, they have not had an easy life and her dad is rather depressed. They decide to enter a competition on the radio to win an island, run by a billionaire who owns it, this would mean they would be able to relocate and have a home.
This story takes us through the ups and downs of moving to a new place, knowing no one and having to deal with the hand they have been given.
You can't help but fall in love with Luna, she is optimistic about everything and tries to always see the good in all situations.
This is a fun quick story, one that children will enjoy, it was engaging and fun throughout. I would recommend this to any child who loves an adventure and is on the lookout for something new.
I would like to thank the publisher for sending this in exchange for an honest review.
This story takes us through the ups and downs of moving to a new place, knowing no one and having to deal with the hand they have been given.
You can't help but fall in love with Luna, she is optimistic about everything and tries to always see the good in all situations.
This is a fun quick story, one that children will enjoy, it was engaging and fun throughout. I would recommend this to any child who loves an adventure and is on the lookout for something new.
I would like to thank the publisher for sending this in exchange for an honest review.
September 15, 2019
What glorious chaos this was!
When Luna, Margot and Fabien find themselves facing eviction from their London home, they hatch a plan to win a remote Scottish island and restart their lives after the death of their granny. Once there, with their respective dreams to run a donkey sanctuary, fly planes, and knit wooly jumpers, they realise that they need to find funds for their endeavors, and decide to organise a secret music festival - - what could possibly go wrong?!
This tale is full of silly good fun, from a sheep beauty pageant to cheesy ice-cream, but also gently touches on serious issues such as homelessness, depression, and poverty.
Definitely one which will leave you with a smile on your face - and a strong desire to move to an island of your own!
When Luna, Margot and Fabien find themselves facing eviction from their London home, they hatch a plan to win a remote Scottish island and restart their lives after the death of their granny. Once there, with their respective dreams to run a donkey sanctuary, fly planes, and knit wooly jumpers, they realise that they need to find funds for their endeavors, and decide to organise a secret music festival - - what could possibly go wrong?!
This tale is full of silly good fun, from a sheep beauty pageant to cheesy ice-cream, but also gently touches on serious issues such as homelessness, depression, and poverty.
Definitely one which will leave you with a smile on your face - and a strong desire to move to an island of your own!
October 13, 2019
This was our night time read a loud, and the 10 and 8 year old enjoyed the roller coaster of some kids trying to organise a festival behind their parents back, nearly failing, nearly succeeding, all over again and finally succeeding! The language is accessible and flows beautifully, making it an enjoyable and engaging readaloud.
October 11, 2019
Very sweet, I would happily give this to a young but confident reader. There wasn’t anything I didn’t like really, I just didn’t love it and I found it a little too unrealistic to hit home with some of the more serious themes such as depression.
December 19, 2019
A great middle grade book full of laugh-out-loud moments. Lovely quirky characters, like Luna's brother who loves to knit and is overjoyed to find goats on the family's new island – and to dress up in a musty old sheep costume (to the embarrassment of his sisters). A real feel good adventure.
May 24, 2019
Huge amount of fun, would love to live in this book world & visit Luna's donkey sanctuary!
May 28, 2019
Great uplifting book. Makes me want to live on an island. Good detailed characters. Made me feel all the emotions! Will be recommending to all in my school!
September 24, 2019
Cute. Realistic? No, but that's not the point. There are some nice underlying themes here, of change and of depression (largely in the background but handled with care), plus a lot of lighthearted adventure. I sort of love the short-lived side romance: I read this just for kicks (...and because I liked the idea of winning an island...), and I would have liked more about the house, but this feels like a really fun read for a middle-grade crowd.
April 21, 2020
This was a bit of a grower but grow it did! We loved the fun, bonkers chaos, and couldn't help but be glad that Luna's quirky, loveable, down-on-their-luck family got a happy ending.
March 5, 2021
Read aloud to my kids (10&12) over a few nights. We all enjoyed it and I thought the author touched the heavier and real life matters with appropriate gentleness.
February 16, 2022
Loved it!
March 3, 2025
This is a truly lovely book, perfect for children, especially as a bedtime story. It is fun and creatively written, making it an enjoyable read. I appreciate how the book is not only entertaining but also educational. Whenever a character makes a mistake, there's a subtle lesson woven into the narrative—just enough to remind kids without being overwhelming. Overall, it's a fantastic choice for parents looking to instill good values while enjoying a good story with their little ones.
September 30, 2019
This was a wonderful, fun and nostalgic read! It so reminded me of books from my childhood and I especially loved the carefree nature of the children's lives. That they were able to explore and roam the Island to create their own adventures (and fall foul of their own mistakes!) I think sends an empowering message to children and adults in our risk-averse society. I read this on holiday, with the sea close by and it really was a perfect combination.
June 24, 2019
Just mad
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews