Kondo and Kezumi are best friends who live on a lush island. One day, a bottle washes onto the beach, and Kezumi, who resembles a small, orange axolotl, fishes a map from it that depicts numerous other islands. This gets Kezumi thinking about what lies beyond her home, and the desire to explore takes root. Kondo--who looks like a large, marigold pillow on legs--is less inclined to leave home, but his love for being with Kezumi overrides his fears. They work together to build a boat from an old bathtub and set sail with map in hand. Tsurumi's imaginative, humorous illustrations appear in saturated colors on every page--sometimes filling it and other times breaking up the text with spot art. From an island made entirely of cheese to one containing a friendly volcano, the pair's explorations are guaranteed to delight young readers. The action transpires over 10 brief chapters, with short sentences and plenty of dialogue to support newly independent readers ready to adventure into longer books.

Kondo, a large yellow creature, and Kezumi, a small orange creature, live on an island full of "berry bushes and flitter-birds and fluffle-bunnies." One day "something new" appears: a message in a bottle that reads "We are not alone." The anonymous message includes a map, and after overcoming fears, Kondo and Kezumi set off in a bathtub boat -- with the map! -- to explore the islands around them, taking notes as they sail along. At their first stop, the Dairy Isle (get it?), the pair eats their fill of cheddar logs and Gorgonzola gourds. The next leg of their trip brings them dangerously close to the jagged, flaming Fireskull Island. They make their way to Giant Island, where they meet a new friend -- who would rather they didn't leave. The vibrant digital illustrations immerse readers in the various island ecosystems -- each rife with otherworldly (or simply cheesy) vegetation and populated by whimsical creatures -- and all the rough and windy waterways between them. Voyagers Kezumi and Kondo tackle fears, frustrations, and homesickness humorously and realistically, reflecting the many issues that can test a friendship during travel. Their frank discussion of emotions ("That was scary") and their apologies can be seen as models for young readers' own developing friendships. Kondo and Kezumi remind us that we are not alone, indeed. Grace McKinney September/October 2020 p.89(c) Copyright 2020. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Two friends embark upon a high-seas adventure. Kondo, a large lemon-colored creature with wide round eyes, spends his day on his island home with his best friend, tangerine-hued Kezumi. Together, they frolic on their idyllic isle picking berries (tall Kondo nabs the higher fruit while Kezumi helps to retrieve the lower) while surrounded by tiny "flitter-birds" and round "fluffle-bunnies." One day, Kezumi finds a map in a bottle that declares "WE ARE NOT ALONE." Inspired by visions of a larger world, Kondo and Kezumi fashion a boat from a bathtub and set sail. The pair visits fantastical islands--deliciously cheese-laden Dairy Isle, the fiery and fearsome Fireskull Island--until they eventually settle upon the titular Giant Island, where they meet Albert, a gigantic gray talking mountain who is--obviously--unable to leave. Enthralled by his new friends, Albert wants them to stay forever. After Albert makes a fraught decision, Kondo and Kezumi find themselves at a crossroads and must confront their new friend. Goodner and Tsurumi's brightly illustrated chapter book should find favor with fans of Kate DiCamillo and Chris Van Dusen's similarly designed Mercy Watson series. Short, wry, descriptive sentences make for an equally enjoyable experience whether read aloud or independently. Episodic chapters move the action along jauntily; the conclusion is somewhat abrupt, but it promises more exploration and adventures for the best friends. (This review was originally published in the June 1, 2019, issue. The book data has been updated to reflect changes in publisher and date of publication.) A story of friendship that is both lively and lovely (Fantasy. 6-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Gr 1--3--Best friends Kondo and Kezumi, who live on an island, differ in many ways. Kondo is big and cautious. Kezumi is small and adventurous. When they find a bottle with a map inside, Kezumi wants to build a boat and embark on an adventure. Faithful Kondo is scared but willing to go with his friend. They encounter sea jumpers, islands made of cheese and lava, and eventually a giant anthropomorphized volcano named Albert. As Kondo and Kezumi grow homesick, Albert claims their boat blew away. After Albert confesses he caused the wind, Kondo and Kezumi build another boat and promise to come back to visit their new friend. In the spirit of an animated cartoon, lively color illustrations depict this story of friendship and adventure. VERDICT Recommended for readers who are transitioning to chapter books and who are fans of animated adventure television shows.--Lindsay Persohn, University of South Florida, Tampa

After she finds an intriguing map in a bottle, adventurous Kezumi--a small orange island dweller--persuades her much warier and larger companion, yellow Kondo, to build a boat and explore. One of the islands they find is made of cheese, another is dark and frightening, and the third is the home of a friendly volcano named Albert, whose loneliness requires deft handling. (When they discover that they can't leave the island because their boat has disappeared, Kezumi suspects Albert: "IT DID BLOW AWAY... BECAUSE I BLEW IT AWAY," the landmass confesses.) In prose that's both simple and dynamic, Goodner offers a realistic sequence about boat building: "They had to make it float. Then they had to make it sail. Then they had to make it turn." Food-gathering and other foraging scenes add fascinating survival elements, and smooth, polished artwork by Tsurumi features monster-esque characters with expressive faces as well as luxuriant flora and fauna. The personal relationships, various environments, and building projects provide multiple points of engagement to keep new readers motivated. Ages 6--8. Agent: Stephen Barr, Writers House. (Sept.)