Once Upon an Island: An Atlas of Islands from Around the World

Award-winning historian Alice Albinia takes readers on a journey across oceans and centuries, uncovering the secrets of 20 fascinating islands―each vividly brought to life through firsthand stories and illustrated maps

Travel across oceans and through time with award-winning historian and storyteller Alice Albinia in her first children’s book, Once Upon an Island.

Discover 20 wondrous islands―from the icy, windswept cliffs of Baffin Island, where Inuit knowledge has sustained communities for generations, to the volcanic peaks of Hawai’i. This captivating journey reveals islands as places of wonder and warning, rich with histories that have shaped the world far beyond their shores.

Perfect for curious explorers, map lovers, and anyone enchanted by the magic of faraway places, Once Upon an Island is an unforgettable voyage through geography, history, and story.

Featuring first person narratives and read-aloud maps, all brought to life with beautiful illustrations by Helen Cann.

Islands include:
1. Chiloé
2. Waiheke
3. Madagascar
4. Lake Titicaca
5. Samoa
6. Tiwi
7. Seychelles
8. Amazon River Islands 9. Mumbai
10. Hawai’i
11. Isla Mujeres
12. Yonaguni
13. Putuo
14. Sicily
15. Lesbos
16. Vis
17. Scilly
18. Texel
19. Orkney
20. Baffin

Alice Albinia read English literature at Cambridge and South Asian history at SOAS, then worked for two years in Delhi as a journalist, critic, and editor. Her first book, Empires of the Indus, was written during a journey through Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, and Tibet. She won a Royal Society of Literature Award for it and has since gone on to write a number of award-winning books for adults. Once Upon an Island is her first book for children, and while researching it, Albinia interviewed people from every island featured in its pages. Helen Cann is an illustrator specializing in hand drawn mapping, children's books, drawing and lettering. She has contributed to over 30 books, won several awards and exhibited around the world. Her book illustrations are mainly hand produced using a mix of media and have been used in picture books, anthologies and chapter books. Helen's illustrations, drawings and lettering have also been commissioned for business branding, ceramic designs and as props for TV and film. She currently works in a sunny studio in Brighton by the sea in the UK.