Kondo & Kezumi Visit Giant Island is a quirky story about friendship, overcoming fears and having adventures. David Goodner created book one of an unknown number of books in a new series for an early reader of chapter books. Or for a child that is willing to sit and listen to a longer story.
Fun illustrations by Andrea Tsurumi are simple even slightly simplistic (but not in any way negative). The tone of the story feels like it has a “worldly” feel to it as if of a Scandinavian background influenced it (but both authors are from the US). While the adventure is there, it is not “scary.” It is just “thrilling” for the ages (strong reader or to read to, though while the book itself might not be an easy read-aloud to a group, it would be a good one to have in a classroom) six to (young) ten-years-old. Broken into chapters, the natural break would allow for a “chapter a night” read. The adult reader, of course, will be done in a few minutes. Yet do not rush through it as there are little twists and turns that need to be enjoyed.
If this book has not been made into a television series for kids, it probably should. It has the air of being a teaching show. This could be as simple as teaching “big from small” (as one character is big, the other small) to “it might be scary to try something new, but you should” to feelings to making friends. There is potential for fun and educating not only with the book, but a to have tie-ins as well.