Kidnapped (Scribner Storybook Classic) [Hardcover]

Robert Louis Stevenson (Author), Timothy Meis (Editor), N.C. Wyeth (Illustrator)

Book Description

Series: Scribner Storybook Classic

David Balfour has never had an adventure. He has never spent a night camping in the Scottish Highlands. He has never sailed the high seas. He has never fought in a battle. In fact David Balfour has never even left home. All he knows is a quiet country life.

All this changes after the death of his parents. He suddenly learns that he, David Balfour, is a man of wealth and standing, and that he is not destined for a simple life after all. All he needs to do to assume this new station in life is to travel to the town of Cramond, Scotland, to collect his inheritance from his father's younger brother, an uncle he had not even known existed. But David soon discovers that this is not as simple as it sounds, as he struggles to survive and outwit his treacherous uncle in this classic adventure story.

Original oil paintings by N. C. Wyeth capture the vitality of Robert Louis Stevenson's timeless tale of fortune, camaraderie, betrayal, and independence.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-7 - The language in this adaptation is truer to the original, and thus, more sophisticated than that of Deborah Kestel's "Great Illustrated Classics" version (Playmore, 1992). After his father's death, David Balfour leaves his simple life in the Scottish Lowlands and sets out to find an uncle whom he has never met. Unaware of the bad blood between his father and uncle, he arrives at Ebeneezer's home, only to find that the cruel man has no intention of granting the lad his rightful inheritance. In fact, he has the boy kidnapped aboard a ship to be sold as a slave in North Carolina. David's tenacious spirit and his friendship with the rebellious Jacobite Alan Breck eventually bring him to safety. Told in 11 brief chapters, this abridgement introduces the basics of the story while maintaining a feel for the Scottish dialect. Some of the old-fashioned words and phrases may be a bit of a stretch for readers, but can be understood in context. Though obviously lacking in some of the details of the original, the narrative is easy to follow. Readers are able to gain insight into the hearts of David and Alan, although Ebeneezer and Captain Hoseason remain rather flat. Wyeth's oils (which appeared in the full-length version) add a sense of realism and capture interesting historical details. Meis's retelling retains the flavor of Stevenson's rollicking tale and might inspire readers to search out the full-length epic. - Nancy Menaldi-Scanlan, LaSalle Academy, Providence, RI
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About the Author

Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894) was a novelist, poet, short-story writer, and essayist. In 1883, while bedridden with tuberculosis, he wrote what would become one of the best known and most beloved collections of children's poetry in the English language, A Child's Garden of Verses. Block City is taken from that collection. Stevenson is also the author of such classics as Treasure Island, Kidnapped, and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

N. C. Wyeth (1882-1945) began his artistic career as a young adult. Born in Needham, Massachusetts, Wyeth traveled the American West extensively and drew what he saw. His prolific career includes three thousand works and more than one hundred book illustrations, including those for a majority of the Scribner Illustrated Classics series.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 64 pages
• Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers (November 2, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689865422
• ISBN-13: 978-0689865428
• Product Dimensions: 11.6 x 10.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #363,721 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent for younger children., January 23, 2007

By 

Sapphireminx (Through the Woods) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Kidnapped (Scribner Storybook Classic) (Hardcover)

This book is great for younger readers who may not have the reading skills to tackle the original and unabridged version. Hopefully, it will also instill a love of reading adventures, and inspire them to read the unabridged version when they become more adept at reading. The review below stated that this version did not state that it was abridged, yet in the details area, it clearly says that it is only 64 pages, leaving one to deduce this fact. All in all, a great book for younger children.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful!, August 28, 2008

By 

G. Tofani (Sunnyvale, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Kidnapped (Scribner Storybook Classic) (Hardcover)

I don't have to review this classic story, but just the illustrations, which are totally wonderful! I almost always buy a particular children's book by its illustrations, and the ones in this book are fantastic!

3.0 out of 5 stars Abridged!!!, October 16, 2011

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rms - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Kidnapped (Scribner Storybook Classic) (Hardcover)

The artwork is excellent, but this is the abridged version of Stevenson's classic. I did not see a warning in the ad for the book that it was the abridged version. I wanted the full-length, original version. Needless to say, I was very disappointed. Shame on me for not checking the reviews first, I guess. Live and learn.