Diana and the Island of No Return (Wonder Woman Adventures)

My students love this book. I can't keep it in my classroom library - which is a good thing. They keep asking if I have the second book. I have had to explain that it isn't available yet. But I do have it on pre-order! : )

Love it!

My Daughter (Age 9) Loved reading this.

This one is definitely intended for a younger audience and an adult reader might not find enough here for a good read. For Wonder Woman fans the situation is similar - there's no lore or insight here that would be interesting beyond the confines of this novel (and it's sequels). Without being sure I'd say this is not really canon either.Having said that, if you are buying this for a younger reader you'll find a quite decent novel. Our heroine is a preteen, as is the main principal cast. From what I remember of my daughter at that age, the depiction is believable. Extra bonus points for the fact that no character is irritating.Story: The island of Themyscira is hosting a festival, and Diana's best friend arrives with visitors. Among them comes a stow away - a young boy who has been forced by a demon to bring Diana to his home. He employs a potion that makes all the adults fall asleep and to rescue them (and to help the boy), Diana and her friend set off for adventure to defeat the evil demon.The story is straightforward - simple, but not boring. There's a good amount of action, and the combat is exciting but very young reader friendly. There's a good amount of depth and our heroine's win is by being smart, not because evil is dumb.The writing is very nice and clean, perfect for the intended audience. A single POV helps keep it nice and tight.Overall, recommended especially for a younger Wonder Woman fan. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]Add this to the growing shelf of books about young Wonder Woman. This is a prose novel rather than a graphic novel, which was a fun change. The general plot - a boy breeches the boundaries of Themyscira and Diana is pulled away from her home to fix a problem - isn't unique, but the execution is well done. I liked Diana's friendship with Sakina and the team up of the girls when they leave the island to fight the villain. The story is highly suspenseful, with roadblock after roadblock building until the final battle. It had a Rick Riordan sort of feel to the story with the mythology of the gods referenced here and there and the seemingly invincible foe. There were two chapters to tease the next book in the back of my review copy and they were a tease for sure. I can't wait to get that next story and see what happens for Diana and her friends.

I suppose I'd recommend this new middle-grade series to tweens who love the Wonder Woman character already and are excited to see more of her childhood, but I haven't gotten much out of the first volume myself. The conflicts are a little repetitive and easy to solve, and both the villain and the heroes make some bizarre choices, like applying the Lasso of Truth to a trusted friend rather than a shifty stranger when their accounts are in dispute. I also think this version of Themyscira loses much of its traditional mystique when the island is open to visitors and there are demons and magic potions apparently commonplace around the world.I'd still probably give the book a middle-of-the-road three stars for the above issues since I'm clearly not the target audience here, but the setup for the sequels is too vague and unsatisfying for that to feel quite right. Instead I'll round down to two, which is a more accurate reflection of my own response to the title anyway.

Diana and the Island of No Return by Aisha Saeed is a fast paced, action packed adventure. Diana has never left her home Themyscira before, and she longs to find her purpose when her mother refuses to let her learn how to fight. When a boy comes desperate for help, Diana and her friend Sakina, must find a way to protect their family. Diana has to learn how to use her unique talents to solve almost impossible problems. Her greatest strengths are her belief in her friends, determination in the face of failure, and courage despite being afraid. I also enjoyed the strong themes of teamwork, and the importance of telling the truth. Diana is at her best in this book, as she shows the numerous reasons why she is such an iconic, and well-loved character. It is good to see more books with great female characters, who are celebrated for being themselves. This book is appropriate for young readers 8 - 12 Years, and has an accessible reading style, and length.

Such a delightful children's [Middle Grade, on the earlier side of it] book! My daughter is so excited to start this together with me now that I've read through it so quickly.Saeed gives us a young Diana who is learning about herself and is keen to become a warrior. The best part is that this is all part of the Wonder Woman we know and love and Saeed keeps true to her and introduces her to a younger generation in novel form.Well-paced, fun and lighthearted enough, but still with this stronger message of being Diana being a person of justice and wanting to help others.Thanks to Random House for an eARC of this in exchange for my honest opinion.