Product Description

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #168479 in Books
• Published on: 2006-10-28
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 384 pages

Customer Reviews

Gutted
Terrible. The moral lessons in this story have been omitted, leaving nothing but the plot outline. Why? This is supposed to be a story to share with your children as a teaching tool. This "retelling" is pointless.

Don't bother; get the real book even for younger children
I bought three of the Classic Start books, Swiss Family Robinson being one. After reading all three (SFR, Treasure Island, and Tom Sawyer) with my young child (age 6) I was so disappointed at the lack of "meat" in the story, the prose so altered because so much of it was simply deleted that the stories -- in all three cases -- were very flat. I bought these books to read to my child because of the excellence in writing of the originals. In the "Retold" versions in the Classic Start Series, there is no breadth of vocabulary, it being so watered down that it left me sorry I had spent the money. To shorten the stories, so many details are left out that the stories just aren't the same and much of the meatier vocabulary is gone.

If your intent is to widen your child's vocabulary by exposing them to good writing and lyrical prose, do not opt for the "retold," condensed versions of these classic stories. Get the originals and read every word. They will get the meaning from the context and will be enriched. I cannot say the same for the Classic Start Series.

I suppose they serve a purpose and that because of the price point there will be children who will hear the stories that otherwise might not. For that point alone I gave the two stars.

Not unabridged??
I agree with "Seeker's" review. This is not the same version I read as a child - I still have it. My son received this one for Christmas, and after reviewing it I returned it because it has been changed so much. Thanks to "Seeker" for the ISBN number!