This story, long considered a young adult classic, holds a rich fascination for mature readers as well. Share with the Robinsons—a minister, his wife, and four sons—as they survive a shipwreck and then adapt to life on an island populated by exotic birds and animals. Through small successes and disappointments, not only does this courageous family survive, but comes to find a happiness that eluded them in their civilized homeland.
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"I get tired of the "Survival" books because there are so many of them and they just start sounding the same. But this one is an exception. I really like it! This family goes from being shipwrecked on an island to living in a giant tree house and having an ostrich as a pet! "
— K.Q. (5 out of 5 stars)
" Really liked the book and clever things they did. "
— Dan, 2/20/2014" I read a different edition as a child and it helped instill in me a lifelong love of reading. "
— Paul, 2/16/2014" One of the books that I loved as a child. It helped me to re-imagine my hill forts as refuges in the wild. Wonderful book. "
— John, 2/13/2014" I read and re-read this book several times as a child, and was pleasantly surprised to enjoy it again as an adult. "
— Bree, 2/12/2014" long book lot of detail "
— Amal, 2/9/2014" Kids enjoyed it. They loved all the animal adventures. "
— Zac, 2/8/2014" I read this in the 4th grade and it has always been one of my favorite stories. "
— Jess, 2/7/2014" One of our absolute favorites. "
— Stacia, 1/23/2014" I really enjoyed this story. Really captured my imagination. "
— Charles, 1/23/2014" My house will never be as tight as the Robinson house. But that's ok. "
— Leah, 1/23/2014" another good kids book not totally ruined by disney. "
— Matt, 1/18/2014" One of my favorite books (and movies) as a kid. Can't tell you how many times I re-read this book. "
— Summerfly, 1/17/2014" Ok.... I honestly would not recommend this book. It was truthfully pretty boring. Even at a high reading level, it was annoying with all the old language. Not my type of book. And they kill or capture everything in sight. Its just sad. Even thought it is a classic, not recommended. "
— Amber, 1/16/2014" This was a painful book to read. It was unrealistic and just too nice! Even though I love a happy ending, I was starting to wish something bad would happen to this family! "
— Kia, 1/16/2014" An entrancing novel detailing how a family stranded on an island tame many animals, invent various appliances, and survive for many years in peace and joy. This is a book I thoroughly enjoyed and would definitely recommend. "
— Christina, 1/14/2014" Jesusy and moralistic, arrogant in its assertion of the man-over-beast mentality, disregardful of the environment and promoting/normalizing wanton destruction of wildlife, with an underlying misogyny that leaves the one female character unnamed (unlike the more developed and "worthy" male characters) other than "the wife" or "the mother" through nearly 400 pages. Disgusting. "
— Megan, 1/12/2014" Childhood-defining. "
— Kenzie, 1/9/2014" I read the original 1815 version, and good lord, this just might be the most boring book I have ever read. The father is arrogant and pedantic, the constant "lessons" are tiresome, and the family's habit of killing everything they stumble across is disturbing. "
— Pamela, 1/6/2014" Was a little more violent than I imagined!! Didn't enjoy the gruesome animal killing scenes. I did enjoy the moral stories though. "
— Heather, 1/2/2014" We couldn't get through this book as a school read aloud. It just didn't keep the kids attention after the first few chapters. I learned a lot in this book and love the religious references. It just didn't hold our interest. Maybe when the kids are a little older? "
— Sara, 12/29/2013" More difficult language and vocabulary. Adventure. "
— Jenny, 12/27/2013" A good little classic. Nothing extraordinary, but it is a fun read. Read it years back now, but it is such a great little book for youth! "
— Liam, 12/25/2013" This is another book I read in sixth grade while I had the chicken pox. "
— Jeannette, 12/16/2013" A truely awesome classic with lots of useful tips for anyone trying to survive in the wilderness. "
— Blast, 12/16/2013" A family shipwrecked on a deserted island, what are they going to do & will they survive? A tale that can be enjoyed at any age. "
— Beckey, 12/14/2013" I thought is was good for a historical fiction graph novel it's not boring like most probably wold be for this genre. "
— 1, 12/13/2013" I admit at first I was a little skeptical as to my liking of this book; however, the further I got into it the more I realized I was loving it. I won't give any spoilers but if you chance to read this for the first time as I (in my 30s no less) it's well worth it. "
— Ryan, 12/12/2013" Just read Robinson Crusoe. No other book in the survival genre can top that masterpiece. "
— Valerie, 11/26/2013" A whole family is ship-wrecked on a deserted island. Include a battle with pirates. "
— Fredrick, 10/4/2013" I thought this book would be a really fun adventure story. However, I think I only made it 10-20% of the way through the book. Every other sentence seemed to contain a "let us all thank God that we are alive". Sad to say, but that really turned me off and I just couldn't finish the book. "
— Beth, 9/27/2013" So far it is wonderful! I am reading this classic with my son for our homeschool. He wishes our family could live like them. "
— Marci, 7/31/2013" This is a good hard over classic book for all to enjoy. "
— Sojin, 6/13/2013" My first book ever, which opend my heart to the joy of reading. "
— Harendra, 4/2/2013" Imaginative fun for all ages. "
— Michael, 3/28/2013" So exciting at first, but I tired of the plundering and hunting and couldn't go on, it was making me sick like I was inside the colonizer mentality, and the pious surface was too much. Maybe this would have been better in non-abridged form. "
— Jessica, 2/3/2013" Would choose the abridged version if starting anew. I read this book to the kids aloud and it dragged along on some details. Reminded me of the detail in the Little House series. Overall though, good book....and I liked the Christian message throughout. "
— Lisa, 12/24/2012" This was not a favorite, multiple read, but I did get through it. The ingenuity of the family's inventions was my favorite part of this book. "
— Sharon, 11/25/2012" This was a wonderful read, but the father character really spoiled it for me. He was prudish and arrogant, seeming to take delight in rebuking his children and showing off his knowledge. Despite this character's faults, Wyss weaves a tropical tale full of beauty that is worth the read! "
— AbbÃ, 10/5/2012" A fun read for my kids :-) "
— Alma, 9/26/2012" Read this in my tweens and loved it. Always wanted a treehouse after reading this. :) "
— Amie, 9/5/2012" A family shipwrecked on a deserted island, what are they going to do & will they survive? A tale that can be enjoyed at any age. "
— Beckey, 9/1/2012" This is a novel not a true story. "
— Mel, 3/4/2012" This was a long read but a fun adventure. "
— Lisa, 1/20/2012" This book rates five stars for sheer fun! "
— Teresa, 12/11/2011" Great book written in 1813--nice religious values, wonderful story (that most of us have seen the movie) of a family surviving on an island after a ship wreck. "
— Krista, 11/16/2011" I read this to my kids a few weeks ago and it was a really fun read. We then rented the movie for movie night. It was just good, clean fun for the whole family. :) "
— Lara, 10/17/2011" I would rather eat crushed glass than read this book again. "
— Rebecca, 8/13/2011" I liked this book, I liked reading about adventure stories like this. However, this booked lagged on WAY too much! Basically throughout the whole book they killed animals and built creative extensions to their house the entire time... Which is cool, but it didn't need to be nearly that long. "
— Freda, 7/30/2011" Movie was better, and it wasn't even a very good movie. "
— Leah, 6/17/2011" I have grown to love this book a great deal. I find the characters engaging and dear friends. I love the determination that comes through in the writing. It is an honest and entertaining book that I highly recommend. "
— Nichole, 5/23/2011" I have grown to love this book a great deal. I find the characters engaging and dear friends. I love the determination that comes through in the writing. It is an honest and entertaining book that I highly recommend. "
— Nichole, 5/23/2011" I get tired of the "Survival" books because there are so many of them and they just start sounding the same. But this one is an exception. I really like it! This family goes from being shipwrecked on an island to living in a giant tree house and having an ostrich as a pet! "
— K.Q., 5/13/2011" Read to my children prior to visiting Disney World. Great book to read aloud. "
— Linda, 5/11/2011" Read to my children prior to visiting Disney World. Great book to read aloud. "
— Linda, 5/11/2011" Made me wish I were cast away on an island paradise! :) "
— Sherral, 4/25/2011" Made me wish I were cast away on an island paradise! :) "
— Sherral, 4/25/2011" I got the idea of reading this to the boys but they got bored of it as fast as I did. I wound up finishing it out of a feeling of obligation but didn't enjoy. "
— Kendall, 4/18/2011" I got the idea of reading this to the boys but they got bored of it as fast as I did. I wound up finishing it out of a feeling of obligation but didn't enjoy. "
— Kendall, 4/18/2011" We are reading the original version for our homeschool, and it has been a great read! I'm amazed, however, at how much the various re-writes differ from the original. "
— melody, 4/15/2011" We are reading the original version for our homeschool, and it has been a great read! I'm amazed, however, at how much the various re-writes differ from the original. "
— melody, 4/15/2011" This book is my favorite memory from grade school. In fifth grade, every day after lunch, our teacher would read chapter of the book to us. I was absolutely enthralled. I've read it several times since, and just had to re-live the memory when I saw the free kindle download. "
— starryblu, 3/26/2011" This book is my favorite memory from grade school. In fifth grade, every day after lunch, our teacher would read chapter of the book to us. I was absolutely enthralled. I've read it several times since, and just had to re-live the memory when I saw the free kindle download. "
— starryblu, 3/26/2011" I think the only reason I liked this book was because my dad read it out loud to me and we laughed for hours about some of the ridiculous things they do like sheep flinging. "
— Holly, 3/25/2011" I think the only reason I liked this book was because my dad read it out loud to me and we laughed for hours about some of the ridiculous things they do like sheep flinging. "
— Holly, 3/25/2011" They Killed too many animals including my favorite animal, a turtle. "
— Annabel, 3/19/2011Johann David Wyss (1743–1818) was a clergyman in Bern, Switzerland. A former military chaplain, Wyss spoke four languages, loved nature, and was deeply involved in the raising of his four boys, reading to them and taking them on hikes and hunting trips.
George Guidall, winner of more than eighty AudioFile Earphones Awards, has won three of the prestigious Audie Award for Excellence in Audiobook Narration. In 2014 the Audio Publishers Association presented him with the Special Achievement Award for lifetime achievement/ During his thirty-year recording career he has recorded over 1,700 audiobooks, won multiple awards, been a mentor to many narrators, and shown by example the potential of fine storytelling. His forty-year acting career includes starring roles on Broadway, an Obie Award for best performance off Broadway, and frequent television appearances.