THE LOST ISLAND (UQP 2026) by award-winning author Samantha Wheeler is a mystery adventure story for young readers aged eight and up. Set somewhere in the Pacific Ocean, this tale of young Theo and his fight for survival in the wilderness is an emotional rollercoaster of family, belonging, resilience and perseverance, relationships with animals, and a touch of magical realism that elevates the story, especially towards the end, with a mystical and charming ambiguity.
After his mother’s death some years earlier, Theo and his Dad have found their groove as a team of two, but this all changes when his father re-partners with Lyn (about whom Theo definitely has mixed feelings) and Lyn’s daughter Mozzie, who is the perfect child: athlete, academic and all-round great sibling (except Theo feels constantly in her shadow). A Pacific cruise (Lyn’s idea of heaven) is Theo’s idea of hell. He doesn’t fit in with the other kids, he hates the Kidz Club activities, Mozzie treats him like a younger bother, and nobody but him seems to be interested in all the nerdy facts he can recite about the world and all the special things about nature and the environment.
So when Theo accidentally falls overboard and finds himself washed up on a lonely, isolated island, he must use all his wits not only to survive the basic necessities (food, shelter, water) but to try to either escape and find his family, or somehow get a message to them that he is alive and waiting to be rescued.
The island is like nothing Theo has ever read about, full of spooky noises, possible ghosts and strange birds that he’s pretty sure are extinct. And when he meets the most unlikely of strangers who become friends, his ideas of what is real and what is dreamlike converge, convincing him he has stumbled upon a magical place where time and history are not what they seem.
Punctuated with illustrations by Anke Noack, THE LOST ISLAND is an exciting adventure story that takes young readers on a journey of mystery and wonder. And as with all books by Samantha Wheeler, animals, the natural world and the protection of our global environment sit at the heart of this endearing tale. Funny, witty, slightly scary, hopeful, determined and full of environmental facts, this book will entice reluctant readers with its fast-paced narrative, and satisfy ardent readers with its emotionally rich characters and spot-on tween dialogue.