Ember and the Island of Lost Creatures - by Jason Pamment (Paperback)

About the Book

"Fitting in can be hard, especially when you're as small as Ember, a tiny boy living alone in a city of giants. But Ember's luck changes when he meets Lua, a kindly sea turtle, who escorts him across the ocean to a school for little creatures on a wondrous island. Here, Ember learns that first days can be hard, too--especially when they involve bizarre, fantastical cave-dwellers, ferocious storms, and classmates that, from the very start, aren't at all interested in making friends. As he struggles to adapt to this new world, Ember finds himself at the heart of an otherworldly mystery, facing a strange monster from the deep that threatens everything he holds dear. On the surface, Ember's classmates may seem of little help, but any good student of nature knows appearances can be deceiving--and friendship can come from the most unexpected of places"--

Book Synopsis

From Treasure in the Lake's Jason Pamment comes a story of friendship and self-discovery, in a gorgeously illustrated world perfect for fans of Hilda and Over the Garden Wall.

Fitting in can be hard, especially when you're as small as Ember, a tiny boy living alone in a city of giants.

But Ember's luck changes when he meets Lua, a kindly sea turtle, who escorts him across the ocean to a school for little creatures on a wondrous island. -Here, Ember learns that first days can be hard, too--especially when they involve bizarre, fantastical cave-dwellers, ferocious storms, and classmates that, from the very start, aren't at all interested in making friends.

As he struggles to adapt to this new world, Ember finds himself at the heart of an otherworldly mystery, facing a strange monster from the deep that threatens everything he holds dear. On the surface, Ember's classmates may seem of little help, but any good student of nature knows appearances can be deceiving--and friendship can come from the most unexpected of places.

Review Quotes

Pamment's balance of horizontal and vertical panels and perspectives fills up the negative space to create a huge, wondrous world of small creatures overcoming their own challenges. The blurred foregrounds with layers of clouds, mist, and rain allow the transparent lighting and lens flares to glimmer on the pages, contrasting with dark caves and brilliant electrifying blues when Ember journeys deep into the ocean. Young readers will likely relate to Ember's experience that the world can feel big and scary, but with friends from unexpected places, one can navigate through it all and discover who they want to be. - Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (starred review)
For readers who are ready for a breathtaking, emotional, and heartfelt adventure - School Library Journal (starred review)
An enchanting, absorbing adventure. - Kirkus Reviews