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The Little Island

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Children’s book legend Margaret Wise Brown—author of the cherished classic  Goodnight Moon— and Caldecott Medal-winner Leonard Weisgard bring young readers an enduring picture book about the magic of nature.
 
Winner of the 1947 Caldecott Medal, this beautifully moving story centers around a little island in the midst of the wide ocean, and the curious kitten who comes to visit. As the seasons pass, the island and the creatures who call it home witness an ever-changing array of sights, smells, and sounds—proving that, no matter how small, we are all an important part of the world.

48 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1946

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About the author

Margaret Wise Brown

393 books1,210 followers
Margaret Wise Brown wrote hundreds of books and stories during her life, but she is best known for Goodnight Moon and The Runaway Bunny. Even though she died nearly 70 years ago, her books still sell very well.

Margaret loved animals. Most of her books have animals as characters in the story. She liked to write books that had a rhythm to them. Sometimes she would put a hard word into the story or poem. She thought this made children think harder when they are reading.

She wrote all the time. There are many scraps of paper where she quickly wrote down a story idea or a poem. She said she dreamed stories and then had to write them down in the morning before she forgot them.

She tried to write the way children wanted to hear a story, which often isn't the same way an adult would tell a story. She also taught illustrators to draw the way a child saw things. One time she gave two puppies to someone who was going to draw a book with that kind of dog. The illustrator painted many pictures one day and then fell asleep. When he woke up, the papers he painted on were bare. The puppies had licked all the paint off the paper.

Margaret died after surgery for a bursting appendix while in France. She had many friends who still miss her. They say she was a creative genius who made a room come to life with her excitement. Margaret saw herself as something else - a writer of songs and nonsense.

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5 stars
1,049 (31%)
4 stars
980 (29%)
3 stars
936 (28%)
2 stars
301 (9%)
1 star
68 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 503 reviews
Profile Image for Manybooks.
3,818 reviews100 followers
January 11, 2023
If I do simply approach The Little Island with regard to Leonard Weisgard's evocatively painterly, nature imbued illustrations, I can both easily and without any doubt understand the 1947 Caldecott Medal designation (for the illustrations are truly absolutely exquisite, presenting a delightful combination of both reality and descriptive esoteric splendor, of a tiny island, a tiny spot of nature and its flora and fauna throughout a given year, throughout the four seasons).

However and all the above having been said, Margaret Wise Brown's accompanying narrative (and please note that the book is also available as having been penned under the pseudonym of Golden MacDonald, which actually seems to be how The Little Island was first released), while I indeed do very much enjoy the beginning and later the ending, the middle section (with the kitten of vast proportions that wants to know what lies below the waves and threatens to devour the fish it has caught unless said fish can adequately answer said posed question), well that part (and its implication of potential almost folkloristic violence) just does not at ALL seem to fit with the gently descriptive beauty and caressingness of the beginning and ending of The Little Island, of the rhythm of the seasons and how both plants and animals respond to spring, summer, autumn and lastly winter, feeling more than a trifle awkward and strange (and with a rather heavy does of didacticism also thrown in for good measure).

Now don't get me wrong, the narrative bit about the kitten (with its folkloric intent and somewhat faith based philosophy) is not in fact problematic in and of itself. However, as an out of the blue insertion into basically a gentle flowing depiction of a small island through the seasons, in a typical year, the kitten text just does not seem to work all that well, as it feels pretty much artificial, breaks and majorly disrupts the narrative flow, and above all, has the annoying tendency to be quite massively distracting (or I guess I should say that the part about the kitten has definitely both frustrated and hugely distracted me). And thus, but three stars for The Little Island, with a full five stars for Leonard Weisgard's wonderful illustrations, but only two rather grudging stars for Margaret Wise Brown's a bit unorganised and choppy narrative (albeit I do still very much love parts thereof).
Profile Image for Calista.
5,432 reviews31.3k followers
June 8, 2018
I was so confused. The cover says Golden MacDonald and the Title page says it's Margaret Wise Brown and I found out that Margaret wrote this as Golden. Mystery solved. Wow.

I loved the illustrations here and I like the story. We learn the history of this island and the animals and plants that live on it. Then a small kitten comes and learns that the island is connected to the land even though it surrounded by water. A simple story about an island told in a lovely way.

The kids liked this book too.
Profile Image for Hilary .
2,294 reviews492 followers
May 21, 2019
Beautiful illustrations show the natural wildlife of an island throughout the year. The illustrations are wonderful to look at, this illustrator is certainly talented at portraying the natural world. A boat comes to the island with a kitten, this part could have been left out for me. I was worried the kitten was going to get left behind, for the kitten and for the sake of the wildlife but this doesn't happen and thankfully the island gets left in peace.

Read on openlibrary.
Profile Image for Kathryn.
4,784 reviews
April 21, 2014
I really loved the beginning and ending of this book--a loving look at a little island as if told by a poet and naturalist. The seasons change, different flora and fauna cover the island, etc. The mid-section with the little kitten that comes to the island is just too didactic and out-of-place for me, though. The bit about the kitty being an island--yet the island being connected to the world--and about the meaning of faith--just don't seem to fit the rest of the story and seemed, dare I say it, just a bit odd. Of course, I appreciate the underlying message it just felt like two different stories and was a bit, um, odd.
But, that is only my personal taste as I know this is a much-beloved story and the illustrations are definitely worthy of the award.
Profile Image for Mir.
4,976 reviews5,332 followers
February 26, 2018
Margaret Wise Brown is the author of many beloved childrens' classics, most famously Goodnight Moon. I recently reread that and several other of her books. This one, which I found today at the Cabrillo Lighthouse gift shop, was new to me. Perhaps because it has no associations with my childhood I looked at it a bit more critically and thought: Brown is really kind of surreal.

Don't get me wrong, that is not a complaint! I enjoy surrealism, especially in picture books. It was just a bit unexpected. The first half of the book goes along very peacefully detailing the animals and plants on a little island. It could be a non-fiction book about wildlife. And then, with the abruptness of dreams, a kitten arrives in a boat and starts talking to the island. They have a strangely philosophical exchange, beginning with the kitten remarking,

"This little Island is as little
as Big is Big."
"So are you," said the Island.
"Maybe I am a little Island too,"
said the kitten --
"a little fur Island in the air."
And he left the ground

[The illustration shows the kitten hovering in the stratosphere, with the Island a little green blob below.:]
They go on to argue about connectedness to the world, Faith, and the secrets of the deep sea.

Then the kitten sails away. Night comes. There is a storm. The seasons pass.

The End.
Profile Image for Book Concierge.
3,080 reviews387 followers
November 17, 2016
The Little Island is alone in a sea of crystal blue water, but enjoys the change of seasons. A little cat visits the island and learns something about nature. Flowers bloom, animals molt or have babies, birds migrate, and fruit ripens.

Margaret Wise Brown (best known perhaps for Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown ) wrote this book under the pen name of Golden MacDonald. It’s a very nice story that gives a young child an introduction to the natural world. Leonard Weisgard’s illustrations are beautifully rendered.
Profile Image for Laura.
622 reviews135 followers
September 18, 2017
This started out as a pleasant book with lovely flora and fauna illustrations, but then a cat visits the island and I thought the text became a little weird; it just sort of stopped the rhythm and flow of the story. It did get back on track, though and ended well.
Profile Image for Lobstergirl.
1,923 reviews1,438 followers
July 23, 2013
A perfect marriage of text and illustrations.

Clouds passed over it
Fish swam around it
And the fog came in from the sea
and hid the little Island
in a soft wet shadow.


Golden MacDonald (Margaret Wise Brown) acquaints us with all the flora and fauna of the little island, including underwater, as the four seasons pass. One day a kitten on a sailboat visits the island, the island explains itself to the kitten with help from a fish, and the kitten sails away again.

Text and grayscale illustrations are on the left side of the page, Leonard Weisgard's color illustrations are on the right hand side. Weisgard's art always takes me to my happy place.
Profile Image for Beverly.
5,957 reviews4 followers
April 6, 2014
1947 Caldecott Award
Margaret Wise Brown does a good job of showing the passing of the seasons on a small island surrounded by ocean. While I am not a great fan of Leonard Weisgard's artwork, he does faithfully depict in his illustrations what the text says. The colors are quite muted, and some of the side illustrations are in shades of gray, brown and black. This is a quiet little book, and nothing much happens, except that the kitten learns that the island is connected to land far underneath the ocean.
Profile Image for Katie Fitzgerald.
Author 29 books253 followers
October 4, 2017
I have always loved anything illustrated by Leonard Weisgard, and this book is no exception. I love the rich, deep colors he uses in his paintings, and the way he fills entire pages, with no white space leftover. The story is one of Margaret Wise Brown’s stranger stories, especially at the end, but I think it shares an important message about individuality and interconnectedness.
Profile Image for Rachel.
2,839 reviews63 followers
October 2, 2012
I had never heard of this book, until I picked it up for my Caldecott Challenge. I think it is another excellent example of a better book as compared to "Goodnight Moon". It won the 1947 Caldecott Award. In this book, the reader learns about a little island, as told by the island itself. The little island goes through all four seasons, as the reader observes how the the plant and animal life on the island changes as the year progresses. I also liked how the cat who comes with a couple to the island learns about faith and how "the island is a part of the world, even though it is far away from everything."

I love the painted illustrations, that along so well with the text. My favorite is that of the pair of kingfishers. It is interesting to note that Leonard Weisgard, who illustrated this book, also illustrated a Caldecott honor award winner of the same year "Rain Drop Splash". I was fascinated to find out that this book is featured in another much more recent book called "Miss Little's Gift," about a teacher who helps a young boy with ADHD by getting him interested in reading through getting the boy to read "The Little Island" (http://www.douglaswood.com/pages/book...). I think this book might be my new favorite of Margaret Wise Brown's. Highly recommended for ages 1-6, 5 stars.
Profile Image for Erin.
241 reviews
May 8, 2013
The Little Island tells all about life on and around a little island, from the changing of the seasons, to the birds, animals, and fish that call it home, the little island is “a part of the world and a world of its own.” The story is classic Margaret Wise Brown (aka Golden MacDonald) with its “here and now” style, subtle rhymes, and detailed run-on descriptions. The illustrations by Leonard Weisgard compliment the text perfectly with the island and its inhabitants painted in deep and vibrant earth tones. At times it feels as though you are flipping through a nature book, one of my favorite illustrations in the entire story is the pair of kingfishers, beautifully illustrated as though right out of an Audubon bird book. I have read mixed reactions about the inclusion of the kitten in the story and its significance or lack thereof, some feel its placement to be awkward and unneeded. I personally like the kitten part and think it offers some different perspectives for young readers to think about; such as what it means to be a part of something (i.e. the world), and the idea of having faith in something. Originally published in 1946, The Little Island can rightly be called a classic, and many young readers will certainly enjoy it just as much today as those generations before them did.
57 reviews1 follower
September 13, 2016
Book summary: This book was about a little island, and all that goes on around the island. It talks how storms, days, and nights change it, how it is land and how the fish see the land to stretch throughout the sea. A kitten visits the island and learns this secret that all land is one land under the sea.
Grade level: K-2
Appropriate classroom use: This book talks about land and animals so it would fit around those subjects. In class we could do some activities on how islands are still land.
Indv. students who might benefit: Those students that want to know more about the world and all that is out there.
Small group use: Literature circles could be done with this book. This book is full of pictures and has easy words to read.
Whole class use: I would read this book aloud to the classroom. It is just a nice tranquil book about a little island.
Related books: The Noisy Book, Rain Drop Splash, etc. These books are done by the same illustrator.
Multimedia connections: Audio book
Profile Image for Andrea Day.
225 reviews23 followers
May 1, 2015
I must have been a very, very strange child. I must be a very, very strange adult because I love this book. I'm surprised so many people gave it low scores, and wouldn't read it to their children etc. because I feel totally the opposite.

I was captivated by this book as a child, and still as an adult the pictures and simple language really intrigue me. The colors are beautiful, and the words are very atmospheric and philosophical, it kind of gives you a sense of wonder as you hear them. I just remember hearing it as a child, and imagining myself on this mysterious little island.

It does have an odd diversion in the middle, where the cat visits the island--it's weird, but kind of cool. I don't know, I like this one way better than "Goodnight Moon", and slightly less than "The Runaway Bunny". Maybe I am just weird, or quirky, or whatever, but this definitely gets 5 stars from me!
Profile Image for Kelly.
318 reviews
September 14, 2012
Illustrated by Leonard Weisgard using gouache. Winner of the 1947 Caldecott Medal. I must say, I really didn't like this book. I found the text awkward and with a strange rhythm and though at first I liked the illustrations, as soon as the cat appeared I found them awkward too. The book follows the life of an island and even touches on the philosophical. I just didn't like it at all.
Profile Image for Russell.
420 reviews11 followers
October 26, 2015
An island so mysterious, you almost need a laboratory under a church in Los Angeles to determine where it is.
Profile Image for Judy.
3,545 reviews65 followers
September 6, 2016
I expected to like this book, but I didn't. There's not really a storyline; it's basically a description of an island. I wish the pictures correlated with the cover art a little better. The kitten is an odd addition. Maybe, if a child is familiar with a small island, they would enjoy this. My favorite illustration is of two kingfishers. The rest of the images are just okay.
Profile Image for Hannah.
225 reviews1 follower
January 10, 2017
It really wouldn't be a Margaret Wise Brown book without a bit of surrealistic weirdness. Loved the haiku-like descriptions of life on the island and the gorgeous illustrations. The weird tangents somehow make this book even more appealing to me--like a kid giving a report on island life then veering into a fantasy tale of islands and kitties conversing. I kind of love it.
Profile Image for Stephanie.
132 reviews13 followers
July 8, 2009
"No man is an island," said John Donne, and no island is an island either. In The Little Island, the Caldecott-award-winning book authored by Margaret Wise Brown, a little Island speaks to a black Kitten, and tells the Kitten that it, too, is connected to the earth, down under the sea. But, still, the sea is a barrier to those that walk on land. The Kitten can only visit the Island via boat, and returns to the mainland after spending some time with the Island and its creatures. The Island is connected yet separate.

Ms. Brown's book visits the Island in spring, summer, autumn, and winter, in fair weather and foul. She describes the plants growing on the island and the animals that live or visit there, and makes my heart ache with the beauty of it all.

Every time I read a book about an island or set on an island, I want to be there. I want to stand on the shore and dip my toes in the water and look back across the bay at the mainland. And that is what Ms. Brown's book so beautifully evokes: the desire to be alone and apart, and yet a part of everything surrounding. I don't suppose I'd really want to live alone on an island that is small enough to make me acutely aware of its island-ness, but I certainly would want to spend some time there, before returning to my family and home.

I must say a few words about Leonard Weisgard, the illustrator. The Caldecott is awarded yearly to the artist of the best picture book, so it is Mr. Weisgard who was awarded the Caldecott, not Ms. Brown. I love his drawings. They are beautifully simple, and yet each of his plants and and animals is immediately recognizable as having a distinct genus and species. There is no generalized "flower," but forget-me-nots and violets that grow on the pages of Mr. Weisgard's books.
Profile Image for Luisa Knight.
3,221 reviews1,208 followers
March 20, 2020
The opening to the story was interesting, as it introduces you to various animals and bugs. You see the seasons change on the island as well.

The middle section was very odd though. A kitty comes and has a dialogue with the island - about being part of the big world and of faith. It felt rather abstract and as if I had suddenly turned the page into another book.

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Profile Image for Alice Porter.
16 reviews1 follower
November 14, 2016
I found this book strange and confusing. It was written back in the 1940's. The story line is random and there is a lot that happens to the little island. The author did a wonderful job with word choice. It is very poetic at points. The illustrations look like they were painted with watercolor. These illustrations were my favorite part because they complimented the writing and amplified to books classic charm. I didn't completely understand what the author's message was and will have to read it a couple more times to make sure I didn't miss anything. Although I gave this book a 3 star rating, I appreciate that it is a classic award winning book.
Profile Image for Gina.
1,171 reviews102 followers
November 6, 2017
This started out with good descriptions of the flora and fauna of the island. Then in the middle of the book the kitten enters the picture and the flow of the writing just stops and stutters along. The cat made the story worse. I hate to say bad things about an award winning book, but it just doesn't go well because this cat shows up and the island starts explaining itself to this "outsider". I don't know, I didn't like how this book was written. It would have been better off without the kitten. 3 stars.
Profile Image for Two Hearts Homeschool.
224 reviews
April 22, 2021
I was enjoying this book - the illustrations really - until the flying black kitten. On the last page my 5 year old, who has been exposed to plenty of fairy and fantastical tales, asked “Where is the island’s face? How did it talk?”. The beginning of the book led us to expect a nature story...by the end the author “Golden” painted her story with little too many psychedelic undertones for our tastes.
Profile Image for Dianna.
1,954 reviews43 followers
October 8, 2010
First of all, lovely pictures. I liked how this book followed the seasons and just painted a word-picture of the little island. But the part with the cat being an island was just weird. I think I would have liked it better if people (and cats) had not come to the island.
50 reviews1 follower
November 26, 2013
The Caldecott award winner of 1947, The Little Island, takes the reader through the four seasons of the island. In the story, the the author focuses on the habitat of the island. On each page you see different plants and animals depending on the season.  Within the pictures the illustrator uses coloring to reinforce the text. Depending on the season the coloring of the pictures changed. During the springtime on the island the picture had lots of greens and blues. The colors looked fresh just like springtime feels. Then when a storm hit  the picture was covered in dark colors, this identify that the cold weather is coming and winter is soon approaching. My favorite aspect of this book is the coloring. The colors brought the pages to life and pulled my attention in the book. Also, the illustrations were realistic and allowed me to identify with my own experience of the different seasons.
Profile Image for Dolly.
Author 1 book671 followers
August 19, 2014
Picturesque views of a tiny island (based on the animals, I'm guessing off the New England coast) with a short narrative that is melodic. The addition of the kitten is a bit strange, but overall the book is a short and sweet look at life on a small "uninhabited" island as the seasons progress.

This book was selected as one of the books for the April 2014 - Quarterly Caldecott discussion at the Picture-Book Club in the Children's Books Group here at Goodreads.
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