Series ✦ Penny’s Take
The Floating Islands
Rachel Neumeier · 2011
82/100
👍 Worth It
Rachel Neumeier built something genuinely lovely here — sky islands, winged men, a girl who disguises herself to attend culinary-turned-mage school, a boy who wants nothing more than to fly — and the starred Kirkus review and YALSA selection confirm this is not just charming but well-made. The two cousins are distinct and real, and the world earns its details. A perfect recommendation for families, classrooms, and anyone who loved Howl's Moving Castle and wants that feeling again.
✦ Penny’s Take — this is The Review Group’s own editorial assessment. Penny’s analytical review line researched this book from real sources and scored it across the lenses shown below. It’s an honest first-party read — not a page-by-page personal one. The gold ✓ Penny Tested mark is reserved for books Penny reads cover to cover herself.
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Show the math
Verdict receipt0–100
safety96
substance80
craft82
originality80
accuracy82
hype72
age-fit92
human-eye84
Penny’s verdict82
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