SOLVED. island community started by a shipwrecked sailor, who had written a book of rules and punishments, arrival of newcomers, rat plague [s]

[Josie]

This was a YA book set on an island which had little or no contact with the outside world. The community had been started by a shipwrecked sailor, who had written a book of rules and punishments, etc, which was viewed as the bible of the community, even though none of them could read. The main character was a girl possibly called Meg, or Meggie or Maggie, and she had a suitor who wanted her to marry him, but then the island life is disrupted by the arrival of a small boat with two strangers, half-dead inside. Most of the community are suspicious of them, but Meg/Maggie falls in love with the beautiful boy, even though he and his sister don't speak the same language as the islanders. There is a man on the island who lives in a cave and looks after the shipwrecked two, and he has two pet rats kept in a cage. Bad things start happening, one of which is the rats escaping and breeding until the island is overrun with a rat plague. Some people take a boat to another nearby island, there's a group of men who find the old sailor's guns and alcohol, and threaten Meg/Maggie...I remember a lot, but not the title or the author. The title may possibly have something like 'the island' or 'islanders' in it. Another thing I remember is Meg/Maggie might learn to read, and ends up reading The Book, and discovers all the terrible deeds the old sailor did - I think he may have been a pirate?

[Emily]

http://books.google.com/books?id=5vxH...

is it "the islanders" By John Rowe Townsend

[Josie]

Yes! Thank you!

[Lisa]

Thanks Emily and Josie. I'll change the topic title and folder.

[Rainbowheart]

The Islanders for the GR link.