Preview of The Swiss Family Robinson Summary:

Although The Swiss Family Robinson may seem to be old-fashioned in its outlook, it is still widely read and available in several different editions. For all its quaintness, it is a wonderful tale of adventure. A family of six are tossed upon an Edenlike island, where they gradually find everything they need for their comfort. The worst disaster that occurs during their ten-year stay is the loss of their donkey to a thirty-foot boa constrictor, the only monster in the entire story.

The story proceeds episodically through ten years of adventures. It is quite possible to choose a chapter to read at random without considering the rest of the story, for the central plot is slight. The family—a father, mother, and four sons—is based on the Wyss family.

The characterizations are not strong, but young readers easily identify with the group. The reader can...