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Treasure Island By Robert Louis Stevenson ( Atheneum )
Release Date: 1981-09-01
Average Customer Rating:
List Price: $29.99
Price: $21.29
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Product Description
Jim Hawkins, the cabin boy on a pirate ship, tells of the perilous adventures of a band of fortune seekers in this entracing classic. "The N,C. Wyeth illustrations (are) made from new plates to ensure the best possible reproduction."--The Horn Book. (All Ages)
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Amazon.com Review
Climb aboard for the swashbuckling adventure of a lifetime. Treasure Islandhas enthralled (and caused slight seasickness) for decades. The names Long John Silver and Jim Hawkins are destined to remain pieces of folklore for as long as children want to read Robert Louis Stevenson's most famous book. With it's dastardly plot and motley crew of rogues and villains, it seems unlikely that children will ever say no to this timeless classic. --Naomi Gesinger
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Dated but Classic
Treasure Island / 0-375-75682-5
There's been so many movies based on Treasure Island that it's almost impossible not to be somewhat familiar with the story. Stevenson shines here, managing to carefully craft a story for children that will also appeal to adults.
The boy hero of the story is respected enough to be included in the plans and tribulations of the adults onboard, but is not kowtowed to the point of offending adult sensibilities. The pirates are realistically rendered, but not to the point where real children would likely be frightened - the violence here is fantastical only, of the sort that was seen so vividly in other classics, such as Peter Pan. Indeed, I am tempted to categorize Treasure Island as a children's classic, alongside such classics as Barrie's work, but I feel that the slightly dated format and feel of this particular classic might present a barrier to young children. Perhaps this is best read as an adult's guilty pleasure, or as a group reading choice, with the adult explaining the more esoteric references and sea-faring minutia.
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 "Pieces of eight! Pieces of eight!" ( minhui )
TREASURE ISLAND is quite simply *the* classic pirate story. It is a supremely enjoyable read, an adventure tale with danger, mystery, suspense, and travel to exotic places--not to mention pirates!
Robert Louis Stevenson's TREASURE ISLAND tells of the coming of age of the boy Jim Hawkins, the son of innkeepers. One day, Jim's parents take on a strange boarder, the "captain," later revealed to be a pirate mate, Billy Bones. The "captain" kept in his room a chest within which, it is revealed after his death, there is a treasure map indicating gold and silver buried on a deserted island. Jim takes the map to the local physician, Doctor Livesey, and the squire John Trelawney. Spurred to action, Trelawney secures a ship, the Hispaniola, which is captained by Alexander Smolletts. He invites Livesey to serve as ship's surgeon and Jim as cabin boy. Trelawney also hires the crew--most of whom turn out to be pirates associated with the treasure map's original owner, Captain Flint. The pirates are led by the ship's cook, Long John Silver, a wily, one-legged, parrot-bedecked, opportunistic pirate chief. (Stevenson's Long John Silver profoundly shaped later popular pirate lore.) The pirates intend to kill the captain, squire, doctor, and Jim on the return voyage after having found the buried treasure. What follows is Jim's adventure of a lifetime.
Though intended to be a story for youth, TREASURE ISLAND's nineteenth-century language, particularly the patois of the sea dogs, will challenge readers under ten. Amusingly, it sometimes also challenges Jim Hawkins, who can't always follow what the pirates are saying. Though the language at times may be difficult, the suspense of the tale will keep propelling readers forward to its exciting and satisfying end.
This "Whole Story" edition is lavishly illustrated with color drawings based on the story. There are also pages devoted to types of sailing vessels, sails, knots, compasses and other nautical stuff. The book also includes a number of sidebar-like illustrated fun facts about pirates and other things only tangentially related to the story. In fact, I often found the additional material not terribly germane and sometimes intrusive and distracting. Still, it makes for a handsome gift book. One simply interested in reading this ripping yarn might choose an edition with simple illustrations or no illustrations at all, save for Stevenson's treasure map.
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Tense, Readable Adventure
This is a solid condensed version of the classic search for buried treasure in the late 1700's. Author Robert Louis Stevenson draws readers in early as the Captain arrives at the Benbow Inn in Britain, focused on incoming ships, and warning young Jim Hawkins of one-legged visitors. The story picks up as Billy Bones arrives, bringing danger and discovery of the treasure map, a discovery that leads Jim and his companions to risk the long trip in search of riches. I felt the suspense as Jim's group boards ship with a hardened sea crew that includes Long John Silver and other tough cookies. Then the ship finally arrives at the Island, where Jim and his companions must survive treachery and deadly struggles at the fort - before they even see the treasure.
I just taught this abridged version to English-literate students at a high school in Latin America; most liked it although some wanted even more action. This is a solid read for adventure fans, capable young readers, and those that desire a good story.
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Maybe I'll be a pirate someday! Aye?
My dad and I are reading this book, and we think it's totally awesome! If you are 11 or 12, you may want to read this book with an adult, but you'll love the adventure and pirates, the treasure map and the Hispanola. I think I am going to start learning pirate lingo now, so I'll be ready if Long John shows up at my door! If you read this book you'll have to rate it a five star because of the adventure. Kids, hope you can get YOUR dad to read it with you!!
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Misfiled classic
Cracking good pirate tale hits all the high points of treachery, adventure, narrow escapes, and treasure hunting, usually misfiled in the Juvenile section.
"Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum!"
See my review of the new novel Silver: My Own Tale As Written by Me with a Goodly Amount of Murder that tells more of the story behind Long John Silver.
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