Oliver Twist (Graphic Classics Series)

Oliver, an orphan in 19th-century London, falls into a den of thieves, but is finally rescued by Mr. Brownlow, a wealthy benefactor. In each of Barron's Graphic Classics, an English literary classic is transformed into a dramatic graphic novel with superb, atmospheric color illustrations and a finely-paced narrative. The tale—chosen from among important novels in the literary canon— will keep young readers fascinated from first page to last. Graphic Classics make fine introductions for young readers to the riches of English literature. Books are available in both paperback and hardcover editions. In addition to the stories, each title features a brief biography and time line of its author, a list of his important works, a glossary, and an index. As such, these books are suitable for classroom use on junior and senior high school levels.

(back cover)
Orphaned as soon as he is born, Oliver Twist seems destined for a life of misery. Miraculously, he survives years of neglect, hunger, and violence. On his eighth birthday he is taken to the workhouse, and now his troubles are really about to begin.

Find out what happens to Oliver in this vivid graphic novel retelling of Charles Dickens' literary classic.

VOYA

These two graphic format adaptations make an adequate introduction for young middle school readers to classic literature. The simple, illustrated, abridged format makes these well-known stories a start for reluctant readers. The story lines are faithful to the original texts but presented mostly in a very static first-person narration and are significantly condensed. All prominent characters from each novel and the settings are replicated, but the condensation often makes the story somewhat choppy. Treasure Island is an exciting adventure story of a young boy who finds a treasure map in the chest of a guest at this mother's inn. He joins a sailing crew to search for the treasure and must learn to survive among the brutal pirates and the terrifying hard life on the sea. Oliver Twist is the story of a nineteenth-century orphan who is forced to work in a brutal workhouse and then escapes to London where he joins a group of young thieves until he is adopted by a generous benefactor. The titles incorporate mediocre colored comic-style illustrations, with dialogue balloons or split frames, and are illustrated in a conventional comic style that uses sequential panels containing both art and text. Each title also features a brief biography and time line of its author and a list of his important works. These books are suitable for classroom use or for readers at a junior high school level who have an interest or need to read classic titles, but there are other abridged illustrated classic publications that would be a better choice for a library or school.