Isle of You

PreS-Gr 2—An unnamed narrator asks a young and distressed-looking girl a series of questions about her feelings and experiences. The narrator proceeds to invite her into a lovely dream world—the Isle of You—which seems to emerge outside her bedroom window. There she sees a castle, sails with an elephant, and enjoys various adventures with other animal friends. The young girl is showered with friendship, gifts, and fanciful experiences. Kim's watercolors, done in a whimsical folk art–style, uses bright pastel shades to capture a magical world. The lovely washes of blue, presence of fluffy clouds, and twinkling lights also add elements of fantasy to the illustrations. The artwork adeptly bridges reality with the imagined world. The stuffed animals depicted in the girl's room are represented as live animal friends in her dream world. Throughout, the narrator's questions and suggestions have a peaceful and calming effect and add an interactive layer to the tale.