Top Ten Books I’d Want on a Deserted Island

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November 12, 2012 by Alice in Readerland

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

When I heard that this week’s Top Ten Tuesday was Top Ten Books I’d Want on a Deserted Island, my first thoughts were that I’d try to find a way to bring Belle’s library from Beauty and the Beast (because, really, who wouldn’t want her library?) or a slew of survival books (like How To Survive on a Deserted Island 101). However, since adding those would probably miss the point of this Top Ten Tuesday, here are ten books I’d bring with me that all have island/exotic settings:

1. The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wyss.

Obviously I had to put The Swiss Family Robinson on my list. It comes with a How-To Guide on how to build their awesome tree house, right?

2. Dinotopia by James Gurney. Because when I get shipwrecked on an island, one of the first things I will do is search to see if I’ve washed up on Dinotopia. Besides, even if I’m not in Dinotopia, the beautiful and detailed book illustrations will make me feel like I am.

3. Nim’s Island by Wendy Orr. Who doesn’t want to visit Nim’s Island after reading this book full of beautiful island descriptions?

4. Nim at Sea by Wendy Orr. Of course, once I read Nim’s Island I must to read the sequel. I love spunky Nim and her sweet animal friends Selkie and Fred.

5. The Summer My Life Began by Shannon Greenland. The imagery in this book is absolutely beautiful and vivid (in my interview, I learned that Shannon drew from her stay in Bermuda to create the island setting in this book). You can read my review of The Summer My Life Began and my interview with the author Shannon Greenland here.

6. Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie. I’d like to point out that, technically, Neverland is an island. Besides, I’d need a fairy tale to read.

7. Black Heart of Jamaica by Julia Golding. I love the Cat Royal series, and this book in the series places all the history and adventure in an exotic location.

8. Dragonsong by Anne McCaffrey. The Harper Hall Trilogy features a creative girl who finds some fire lizard eggs near the beach and manages to survive on her own (with the exception of her newly-hatched mini dragon friends). I will so be looking for fire lizard eggs.

9. Chomp by Carl Hiaasen. This book features real and fake animal wranglers, bats, an alligator, and commandeered boats. You can read my review of Chomp here.

10. The Dolphin Diaries by Ben M. Baglio. Featuring different islands and a family who sails around the world researching dolphins, this is the perfect series for any Middle Grader (or anyone else) who adores dolphins.

What books would you want on a deserted island?