Meghan's Book Review: Kev'n's Island Fiasco by Grace Flynn

In Grace Flynn’s book, a little kiwi bird struggles with the after-effects of an unequal friendship—but not in the way most would expect. Kev’n’s Island Fiasco (pronounced /KEE-vuhn/) is just that. Kev’n, a bright orange kiwi bird who lives alone on an island, is delighted each week when his “friend”, Black Jack, drops off cans of root beer for him. When Black Jack falls into the water and asks to stay on the island while his broken wing heals, Kev’n takes him in gladly, saying, “What else are friends for?!” only to come to the unfortunate realization that Black Jack did not consider them to be friends. The root-beer-dropping was accidental. Over the coming weeks they grow closer as friends, however, Kev’n gets sick because of Black Jack’s littering problem. Kev’n is forced to confront his “friend” for this reason and see how they can fix the situation: for both of them, and Kev’n’s beloved island. 

Kiwi birds are my favorite type of bird (if not my favorite type of animal altogether). So when Flynn’s bird was revealed to the public via Instagram, I immediately fell in love with him. I might be biased in saying that I initially loved this book simply for the fact that the main character is a bright colored kiwi, however, there are so many more aspects to enjoy about it. In many Red Fred Books, my own included, I have followed a general theme of friendships, and Kev’n’s Island Fiasco is no exception. I enjoyed seeing how Kev’n and Black Jack’s friendship almost seemed to go back and forth—each of them taking care of the other at different points—before it resolves at the end. We get to see how giving too much in a friendship or relationship can have negative effects for both parties. 

Another important theme of this book is conservation of the environment. From what I have come to learn about Flynn thus far she has an incredible knack for helping animals and can often be found rescuing various reptiles, amphibians, and insects. Flynn’s passion shines through clearly in her book, with Kev’n first rushing to help Black Jack, and also his desire to keep his island in a clean and well-kept state. I enjoyed reading this narrative because I feel we don’t often see fiction books centered around littering and taking care of your space. Flynn does a wonderful job of putting a light on the subject. 

Look for my upcoming chat with/interview Flynn via Zoom. I am excited to learn more about her, her book, and the compassionate work she does.  Overall, Kev’n’s Island Fiasco is a great read because it discusses forming friendships, mending friendships, and conservation, so I have no doubt you’ll enjoy it as much as I did. Keep updated on the book’s availability for sale by subscribing to our newsletter on our home page!