The Swiss Family Robinson

Posted by Rebekah
Categories: Adventure, Fiction, Older Readers, Review
Tags: Animals, Dogs, Johann Wyss, Seafaring

Our rating:

On their way to a new life in a young colony, this family of six is shipwrecked off the coast of an unknown island. Of the entire ship’s crew and company, they are the only ones to make it to the safety of the island. There they find themselves confronted with a thousand problems, and, taking them on one by one, use ingenuity and common sense to conquer. From their lofty tree-dwelling of Falconhurst, to their impregnable fortress of Rockburg, Father, Mother, Fritz, Jack, Ernest, and Franz carve out a life for themselves.

I thoroughly enjoyed re-reading this book. The Father has a very strong faith in God and is the leader of his family. The four boys get along well and respect their parents. Not to mention they break the mold of “typical teens.” The eldest, Fritz, is fifteen years old, but he is completely capable of handling a gun to defend the family, keep a clear head in sudden danger, and look after the younger ones. You might expect this book to be dreary, as there are so many building projects described, but there are several funny parts, and lots of adventure. Not the swinging from a rope with a knife between your teeth kind of adventure, but the nice, steady kind. I put it under older readers because it is written in the older style, but I remember having it read to me when I was much younger.