Synopsis
(back cover)
The story begins with the death of an old sailor and the discovery of a secret treasure map. Young Jack Hawkins sets out on the biggest adventure of his life. Will he live to tell the tale?
Find out in this vivid graphic novel retelling of Robert Louis Stevenson's 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.