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Oliver and the Seawigs is a truly charming and enchanting read. The art is captivating, the story is lively and fun, and the conclusion satisfying. Can I time-travel back to when I was eight and read this again?

the plot: Ten year-old Oliver is happy his parents have finally decided to settle down from all their exploring in their ramshackle house on Deepwater Bay. But it isn't long before his parents spot the mysterious-looking islands that have appeared in sea and run off to explore. Oliver expects them back--but then their orange dinghy washes up without them, and there's only one thing left to do...

what I really enjoyed: The illustrations. They're so expressive but simple at the same time. The quirkiness of the story really reminded me of days hunting for books that would capture my imagination in the school library. There wasn't anything quite like this. Kids these days are so lucky--do they know?

what disappointed me: Nothing, actually. I felt like the blurbs I read delivered on the promise.

who I would recommend this book to: Young readers who like adventure stories (like the Magic Treehouse), and young readers who are hesitant to try tackling a chapter book.

*note: I received an e-copy of this book through Netgalley from Random House Children's in exchange for an honest review.