The Unwanteds Book 2: Island of Silence by Lisa McMann

Rating: My bookshelf

Reading Level: Middle School

You definitely want to start with Book 1: The Unwanteds. You may wish also to check out reviews of Book 3: Island of Fire, and Book 4: Island of Legends.

Possible Concerns (Spoiler Alert!):

• Torture. Some kids mischievously explore a new island, are captured by its inhabitants, and are tortured in a mysterious process that makes them unable to speak.
• Violence. There is war among island inhabitants.
• Romance. There is a bit of teenage emotions, feelings, noticing features of the opposite sex in a slightly romantically interested way. In my opinion, there is nothing inappropriate for middle school age level.

The reading level might be mid-late elementary, but for Middle Schoolers, I’d put it in my bookshelf.

Discussion questions (spoiler alerts):

• In this book the high priest tells Aaron he is going for his ambition the wrong way. Is ambition bad? How does one go about it the right way?
• Have you ever felt like Alex when someone thought you would be a good leader? What makes a good leader?
• Lani feels jealous that she wasn’t chosen to succeed Mr. Today. How does she handle her jealousy? What is a good response when we are jealous?