Last year, one of my unexpected favorite books was Operation Nativity, a book that was filled with festive cheer and great humor, as well as a huge slice of pathos. It was a book that stressed the importance of family. Roll forward to the UK summer (such as it is) and we are now treated to Shipwrecked by Jenny Pearson. Will it be more of the same but transported to sunnier climes or something a little different?
What Is Shipwrecked by Jenny Pearson?
The answer is “a bit of both.” Family and friendship are still central to Shipwrecked, but there are no parents here. The children in the story are isolated, shipwrecked on a desert island.
Sebastian is a child of divorced parents. His taciturn father is a naval officer; he seems to generally disapprove of Sebastian’s existence. His mother has left their home in Singapore to follow her dream of becoming an actress. Feeling alone and unwanted, Sebastian and two friends head on an ecological school trip to the South Pacific, aiming to clear up the beaches.
Unfortunately, some of what Sebastian’s dad says about him is true. He does often find his way to trouble. Feeling inferior to 3 of the “cool” kids on the trip, he challenges them to an ill-advised race on the open waters of the Pacific. A storm closes in, the two teams are separated and Sebastian and his friends, Étienne and Lina, find themselves marooned—miles away from safety and with no means of calling for help.
Why Read Shipwrecked by Jenny Pearson?
First up, a small order of business. In my book preview, I mentioned that there were pirates in the book (it even says so on the back cover). While the book contains some shady-acting men on a boat, calling them “pirates” is stretching things a little. Smugglers would be a better way of looking at it. It’s a modern-day book, so pirates probably weren’t ever going to be the swashbuckling kind, but all the same, there are no piratical hijinks to be had in Shipwrecked. They’re smugglers/turtle rustlers and they’re mean.
There are lots of other hijinks in the book, however. Despite being something of a magnet for calamity, it’s hard to keep Sebastian down. He does a number of daft things during the book that will endear him to readers (as much as they infuriate his companions).
Sebastian is annoying. He makes poor decisions, often thinks only of himself, and blames everything he can on things other than his own actions. At least at first. Over the course of the novel, Sebastian and his friends grow as individuals. They learn to be resilient but also to take responsibility for their actions, and in Sebastian’s case, understand how his behavior affects those around him.
On top of that, the book has a strong eco-message. The program the children enroll in is called the “Climate Avengers.” They all want to make the world a better place. The island on which the children are stranded is an important nesting place for sea turtles, a point that becomes significant to the plot. There are obvious comparisons between the Shipwrecked and Lord of the Flies, and, indeed, Lina has read the Golding classic and discusses what this might mean for the triumvirate on the beach. Pearson’s novel doesn’t turn dark in the way of William Golding’s, but it gently explores some of the same themes.
The book has a strong conclusion, which is both exciting and poignant. We grow with the children on their island. We learn something about resilience and trust. We learn that busy parents still love their children.
I didn’t quite enjoy Shipwrecked as much as Operation Nativity, but it’s a much better read for a summer vacation! Jenny Pearson has a sizeable backlist of fun children’s stories. Wherever you start, you’ll find she’s a writer who knows how to entertain while also cutting through to some of the hardest parts of being a child and coping with family life.
If you would like to pick up a copy of Shipwrecked by Jenny Pearson, you can do so here in the US and here in the UK. (Affiliate Links)
If you enjoyed this review, check out my other book reviews.
I received a copy of this book in order to write this review.
Robin Brooks
Dad of boys, player of games, and reader of books. GeekDad and one half of Agents of Sigmar. Prone to starting things I can't fin
