A Whole New Ballgame: A Rip and Red book

This big-kid fiction book surprised me.  (FIC BIL)   I was unfamiliar with the author.  The cover looked like a graphic novel.  I expected it to be light, shallow, and silly.  I did, however, think it would attract students with its cartoon drawings.  I should not have judged it by its cover.  It was a heartwarming, beautiful story about two friends starting fifth grade.  Red and Rip are perfect for each other.  Red has some issues, but Red is patient and kind and knows how to handle them and be a great friend.  Their new fifth-grade teacher is an unconventional teacher who refuses to teach to a test and stifle students' creativity and expression.  With references to great works of fiction throughout and schoolwork that 5th graders will relate to, this is a must-have for my shelves.

Orphan Island

This story was odd.  Nine children on an island, each delivered alone by a self-guided boat out of nowhere, one child a year.  The oldest on the island leaves in the return trip of the boat, and the cycle continues.  The island is perfect and the nine children are self-sufficient and happy.  But things change when one Elder refuses to leave when it is her time.  For the entire book, I was looking for backstory.  I wanted a revelation.  I wanted explanations as to where the island came from.  I did not get it.  I imagine there will be a sequel.  I will not read it.  (FIC SNY)