Treasure Island (Papercutz Classics Illustrated Series) »

The Victorian poet and novelist Robert Louis Stevenson once said, "Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant." The author of the magical A Child's Garden of Verses and the chilling The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Stevenson indeed planted powerful literary seeds -- that grew into undisputed classics.

The themes of Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic novel “Treasure Island”; loyalty, adventure, morality and especially coming of age, make it ideal for “Classics Illustrated Deluxe.”

Stevenson’s riveting tale has become more and more influential over the years; serving as the basis for such popular portrayals of piracy as one-legged seamen with parrots on their shoulders, treasure maps where an “X” marks the spot, to the specific style we thing of when imagining how pirates speak. David Chauvel’s faithful adaptation combined with Fred Simon’s vibrant art truly captures the excitement experienced by readers both old and young alike that this classic has invoked for so many years.

Publishers Weekly

The classic pirate novel is even more fun to read accompanied by well-done pictures. By capturing the feel of another time and place, readers are easily transported into the long-ago seafaring adventure. The art also helps readers become more comfortable with the old-fashioned language and phrasing. The European-styled thin line art is welcoming and approachable. Although cartoony, there's enough detail to stand up to Stevenson's textual imagery. The story is full of all the elements expected: mysterious omens, frightening strangers, a treasure map, seafaring adventure, murderous mutiny, and a boy's first journey to becoming a man. With up to 14 panels per page, this graphic novel is dense but not crowded, although the pages open up to show the ship, with full-page panels conveying the vista of the open ocean. This is a substantial adaptation, given the number of panels, inclusion of the original text, and the length of the book, much longer than the usual classic comic adaptation. The handsome hardcover will stand up to multiple readings, making this a fine choice for libraries or children's gifts. (Mar.)