Reviewed by Kim Anisi for Readers' Favorite

Joshua's Island by Patrick Hodges is the story of Joshua and Eve, two 13-year-old kids who face something many kids have to deal with in real life, too: bullying. And not just verbal bullying, but bullying that includes physical violence. Joshua is a small boy, and even most of the girls in his class are taller than him. And for some reason, the most popular girl - Rhonda - has decided that Joshua should be the victim of her bully squad (consisting of boys). Joshua is an outcast, has no friends any longer, and then he has to work in a team with a girl who can't stand him. However, things change when Eve begins to understand that all the stories circulating about Joshua might very well not be true, and that her new best friend Rhonda might not be a good person to be friends with after all. However, Rhonda does not take it lightly when people doubt her.

While the issue of bullying in Joshua's Island is of course a very unpleasant topic, I did enjoy reading this story very much. The friendship that developed between Joshua and Eve is heart-warming, and the closer you get to the end of the book, the more your hope in humanity is restored. I wish that there were truly more kids like the ones in the book - and fewer idiots running schools. The plot moves along nicely at a pace that is neither rushed nor drawn out. You start feeling connected to the characters quite easily and early on in the book. It is a pleasing read for people of all ages.