Common Sense Media Review
By Mary Eisenhart
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Pirates, puzzles, plus a curse in promising series starter.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
Somewhere in the waterways of Long Island is the ISLE OF EVER, not that you'll find it on any maps, and it was last seen 200 years ago. Present-day 12-year-old Everly Benedict, who goes by Benny and has lived a cash-strapped life with her single mom ever since her grandmother died, is tasked with finding it—within the next two weeks. If she succeeds, she and her mom will be rich beyond their wildest dreams and have a stable home at last, thanks to the will of a long-ago ancestor. Not only that, she'll prevent the backup heirs, a dynasty of rich local bullies, from taking over the Benedict estate, one of the few things they don't already own. The ancestor left mysterious clues, and Benny has help from newfound friends. However, the villains have a few tricks up their sleeve as well, some going back centuries.
Is It Any Good?
This lively fantasy about a tween who'll inherit a huge estate and the love of her town if she can find an island (and maybe a treasure) that disappeared 200 years ago is a rollicking read. As young Benny and her newfound friends race to find and solve clues left by a mysterious ancestor, the Isle of Ever's back story emerges, there are many plot twists and never a dull moment, with a pirate treasure going back to pirate queen Grace O'Malley, a rare lunar eclipse that comes around every couple of centuries and upsets things, and a cliffhanger ending suggesting lots more to come.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about stories like Isle of Ever where lead characters have a chance to win a life-changing prize, if only they can win a contest/solve a riddle/succeed in a quest, etc., which often seems impossible. What's the appeal of this theme? What stories deal with it really well?
Many stories deal with the theme of immortality—especially the part where you stay the same and don't age while all your loved ones fade away and die. For some, this is a boon. For others, it's a curse. Yet others think it's one and find it's the other. What do you think?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Fantasy
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Adventures , Friendship , Pirates
- Character Strengths : Courage , Curiosity , Empathy , Perseverance , Teamwork
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Sourcebooks for Young Readers
- Publication date : March 25, 2025
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 10 - 13
- Number of pages : 320
- Available on : Audiobook (unabridged), Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate