Magpie IslandMagpie Island by Colin Thiele introduces us to a magpie who is launched into the sky like a bolt from a catapult. He whizzes above the hill, then sweeps down in a fierce circle around the she oaks, his wings cutting through the air like knives. Marooned alone on an island, Magpie is a sad, lonely figure, a castaway reminiscent of Robinson Crusoe. His solitary existence continues until young Benny finds him a mate.