Mural Island is about a girl named Kengi who loves to make art, but sometimes not in the best places. She worries that adults will tell her to stop but, instead, an adult tells her about a place she can go where there is art everywhere: Mural Island. The art in this book is absolutely beautiful! I loved that the adult in the story want to help her put her art energy in a good direction without discouraging her. This would be a great book for young artists.

Thanks to Norton Young Readers and NetGalley for an eARC of this book for an honest review.

Really great book for creative kids! However, I do have one critique to make about this book. I managed to find the hint of a message in this book, but since this is a children's book I would have liked it to be a bit clearer and more up front. Although, like I said, there was definitely a message, despite it being faint. This message is that some things are temporary and that's ok. In this case, Kengi's art is temporary, but that turns out to be ok because then they are able to make new art. This is a perfect message for all young readers, whether they are artsy or not, because it applies to so many things in everyday life.
As for the illustrations, it was such a smart idea for the illustrator to make each and every image amazingly bright and colorful, as it matched the tone and core idea of the story perfectly. The illustrator's unique art style really shines through in each and every picture which I really appreciated, because it creates a motif for readers to recognize and latch onto.
Lastly, it is rare for me to see a kids' book with a non-binary main character. This book actually did that! This is wildly important for the field of children's books because, now more than ever, inclusivity is everything. Kengi's story is perfect for anyone, but non-binary readers will especially be able to relate to Kengi and see themselves in the books they read, which is the best thing.
Bravo!

The illustrations in this book were fantastic. It had such movement that it accompanied you all the way through the book. A cute story to show what an artist feels and how their brain works.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an electronic copy to read in exchange for an honest review.

What a beautiful lesson to learn - love it while it's here because nothing lasts forever. I simply adore every aspect of this book. The story is so sweet. The illustrations are GORGEOUS. The characters are diverse and beautiful.

A wonderfully vibrant, sweet story about a kid named Kengi who loves — and I mean LOVES — to create art. Wherever they go, whoever they're with, however they can: they create. Their principal sees this artistic potential and tells them to check out a place called Mural Island. Sure enough, Kengi gets to drawing and along the way, learns that impermanence doesn't mean unimportance.

Such a great message accompanied by beautiful illustrations!

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.