When the people of the Island discover a man & a tattered raft on their beach they are reluctant to take him in. He doesnt look like them. But they cannot send him back to the sea where he will surely perish. Instead they put him aside but even that doesnt solve their problem. The Island is an astonishing & powerful picture book about refugees xenophobia multiculturalism social politics & human rights. It tackles big themes in subtle ways with a fable-like text & stunning artwork that will provoke discussion for upper primary & secondary school levels about issues that remain so much a part of our national discourse.