The Great Green Island

Ali and her dad live high on the hill of a great green island. To the busy people of the fishing village, says the text, the island was simply their home, ‘but to Ali it was a place of wonder!’ Readers will agree with Ali as we see her exploring the island, a glorious cross section giving a hint that there’s more to this island than first appears. Ali’s only disappointment is that her dad and the other villagers won’t join her on her adventures across the island, arguing that they’re always too busy. Frustrated she makes a wish one evening for a way to make everyone stop. Observant young readers will spy that something is listening in. Sure enough, the next morning, all the fish have disappeared. This is illustrated in a gorgeous full page underwater scene, perfectly blue, perfectly fish-free, a shaft of sunlight diagonally cutting across the page. Now there’s no excuse not to take time off, Dad and Ali go searching for the fish, finding them somewhere that is a huge surprise to them, though perhaps not to that observant reader! The variety of composition, the lovely use of light and colour, a cracking story and gentle signpost to the importance of the great green in all our lives makes this a very special picturebook. Becky Colvin won the 2023 Macmillan Prize for Illustration and is a talent to watch.