August 31, 2009
Tim Gregory captures the essence of this classic coming-of-age tale featuring villainous buccaneers, buried treasure, murder, treachery and adventure on the high seas. We follow the exploits of young Jim Hawkins along his voyage for treasure aboard the Hispaniola
to his showdown with the villain Long John Silver on Treasure Island. Gregory introduces a host of uniquely rendered characters, with Silver and his pirates matching wits and weapons with Hawkins and his comrades as they battle for control of Treasure Island and a share of Captain Flint's long lost treasure. Gregory's rendering of the iconic characters—particularly the duplicitous Silver and the marooned and raving Ben Gunn—are nuanced, true to the text and utterly enjoyable. He avoids the easy clichés of the pirate genre and instead portrays complex characters in a performance that will delight listeners of all ages.
October 5, 2009
Stevenson’s prototypical swashbuckling story receives a traditional treatment in this unabridged, oversize version. Lawrence evokes the essence of classic adventure stories with his vinyl-cut illustrations, as thick black shapes are tempered by muted tones of blue, gold and green. The grimacing faces of pirates are appropriately blemished and begrimed, elegant vessels are seen moored under a starry sky and the island’s wild intrigue is captured in subtle, grainy glimpses. As they follow Jim Hawkins to sea, readers will feel they’ve discovered a true relic with this edition. Ages 9–14.
July 1, 2003
The Scribner Storybook Classic line adds Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island, abridged by Timothy Meis, with vintage illustrations by N.C. Wyeth. Young Jim Hawkins finds a treasure map and follows it to South America, only to wind up in the hands of the notorious pirate Long John Silver. Climactic scenes of aggressive mutineers or the hero's valiant attempt to keep the evil Mr. Hands at bay come alive in Wyeth's atmospheric oil paintings.