Castaways in Lilliput [Paperback]

Henry Winterfeld (Author), William M. Hutchinson (Illustrator), Kyrill Schabert (Translator)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up

When their life raft at last comes to ground, Jim, Peggy, and bossy Ralph rejoice. But this island is not like the world they left behind. The entire island is filled with miniature villages, roads, even cities with skyscrapers. The kids would love to play with the doll-sized vehicles and houses . . . until they discover that the tiny buildings have all-too-alive tiny people who live in them. It's tough to be a little kid, especially when you're not little--the children only want some help (and maybe some hot chocolate), but everyone views them as terrifying giants.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This third book by Henry Winterfeld is the best of an excellent trio . . . a novel treatment of an ever fascinating theme."--New York Herald Tribune Book Review
"As delightful a tale as we have found in a long time."--Kansas City Star

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: German --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Sandpiper (November 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0152162860
• ISBN-13: 978-0152162863
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,505,561 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Still love it after all these years, March 26, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Castaways in Lilliput (Odssey Classic)

A wonderful children's book. I first read it in 1963 and still love it. Three kids wash up on an uncharted island. To their amazement it is Lilliput and they are the first "giants" to visit since Lemuel Gulliver. Of Course Lilliput has also modernized over the intervening centuries. The children try to find a way to return home, and although the Lilliputians are kind and caring, they wish to preserve the secret of their island home......How will it turn out? Well it's rather a surprize. Read it and find out!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Big Adventures Come In Small Packages, November 15, 2002

By 

Terrie (Little Chute, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Castaways in Lilliput (Hardcover)

I'm so happy to see this wonderful book back in print. I would have to say that Children's literature is and always has been my favorite genre and I've read thousands upon thousands of children's books. When I say this is one of my favorites of all time, I mean it as high praise indeed. My 4th grade teacher read it to our class back in 1962 and I was captivated by it from the first page. Two brothers and a sister, Ralph, Jim, and Peggy, drift too far out to sea when they are rafting off the coast of Australia. In the darkness of night they do eventually wash up onto a shore...but it is certainly not a familiar shore in any way! It seems the kids have washed aground in Lilliput, the very land where Gulliver's story unfolded long before. There have been no other "giants" in Lilliput since Gulliver's Travels and the Lilliputians are as amazed and unsettled by this event as the children. Lilliput has continued to change and develop in the years since Gulliver's visit and theirs is a modern world not unlike the one the children have left behind, only much, much smaller. The descriptions are really delightful such as when one of the Lilliputians gives poor Peggy a bedspread to wipe her tears. The youngest brother finds ways of getting everyone into trouble and causing some hilarious predicaments. This book has lots of action and is such good food for the imagination that it stuck with me for over 40 years and is still as fresh in my mind as the day my teacher read it. Do the kids ever get home to Australia? Well...wait and see, but don't miss this book, it's the greatest.

4.0 out of 5 stars A delightful story...., April 26, 2011

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Castaways in Lilliput (Hardcover)

"Castaways in Lilliput" is one of those enchanting, delightful imaginary books and features 3 young children, who find themselves stranded in Lilliput, which was, to them, only a fairy tale before. Naturally, they all want to go home (although Peggy is, of course, delighted by the tiny houses filled with furniture); but they find themselves in quite a pickle as they grope around among the miniscule cities and desperately try to convince the Lilliputians that they are not wicked and violent giants.

Quite an entertaining story; I didn't like it quite as much as some of Henry Winterfeld's other books, but worth the time indeed. I wish I could give it 4 1/2 stars, as 4 seems to be a bit underrated. Highly recommended for kids!