Robinson Crusoe

By Stewart Ross and Vince Reid

Robinson Crusoe could never have guessed what a sailor's life held in store for him. Find out how he faces pirates, slavery, and shipwreck, and survives twenty-eight years on a desert island.

This thrilling tale has been retold and adapted with new illustrations, making it perfect for younger readers aged 4+.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Arcturus Publishing
• Release date: Sep 12, 2019
• ISBN: 9781838577940

Stewart Ross

As well as fiction and non-fiction titles, Stewart Ross has written prize-winning books for children (his book The Story of Scotland won the Saltire Society prize). Stewart Ross has written many books including Solve it Like Sherlock and The First of Everything for Michael O'Mara Books.

Book preview

Chapter 1

Leaving Home

My name is Robinson Crusoe, and this is the true story of my life and adventures. First, I’ll explain my name. My mother’s family name was Robinson. My father came from Germany, and his family name was Kreutznaer. To help his English friends, he changed it to Crusoe.

I was born in York, England, in 1632, the youngest of three brothers. The eldest was killed in the wars, and my other brother just disappeared. We were clearly not a lucky family.

Because of this, my parents told me not to do anything foolish. Don’t go on adventures, my father advised. Stay in York, and get a good, sensible job as a lawyer.

But you know what young people are like, don’t you? I did the opposite of what my parents told me.

In 1651, when I was just nineteen, I went to the port of Hull. There, I met a friend who was about to sail to London in his father’s ship. Come on, Robinson, he urged, join me! It’ll be really exciting!

The temptation was too great to resist. Without even telling my parents what I was doing, I boarded ship on the first of September, and set sail for London.

My friend said the voyage would be exciting—and he was certainly right! No sooner had we left Hull than the wind began to blow hard, and the sea rose in waves as tall as the Yorkshire hills.

I was terrified. This is a punishment from God for disobeying my parents, I thought. I promised myself that, if I survived, I would go straight home and never venture to sea again.

How foolish I was! The wind died down, the sun came out, and I quickly forgot my promise. I had great fun laughing and singing with the sailors.

You can never, ever trust the sea.

Reviews for Robinson Crusoe

[comfypants · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

A man with wanderlust encounters a series of escalating misfortunes.1/4 (Bad).I gave up after 40 pages. I haven't even gotten to the really racist stuff yet (I suspect), but already the attitude towards slavery is too much. The style is readable but uniformly void of personality, and it's pretty clear how the story is going to unfold, so I'm confident that I'm not missing anything.(Aug. 2022)

[clueless_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book blew me away! I was amazed how relevant it was to present time. It was not dusty/stuffy at all. I guess I was expecting Swiss Family Robinson or something. Instead I got this wonderful story of a man wrestling with his faith. Way.Cool.

[clurb · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Adventure n'that. With parrots and goats. A really good read.

[woollymammoth_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A brilliant book that set the standard for the Desert Island Genre. It's a classic, and a great read for both adults and children, much better than endless Enid Blyton I read at that age.

[crewman_number_6 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I just reread this book, and it is amazing to me that it is as relevant today as it was when it was written in the late 1600's! I think sometimes people are expecting this to be an adventure story, but truly it is the theme "man vs. himself." Robinson Crusoe has to come to grips with the fact that his choices got him to the point he was in life, good or bad. Loved it.

[jms001 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I read this book in eighth grade cause it was worth more 'reading points' than some of the other books on the list. But when I first picked it up, it was a non-stop adventure and tale of survival that I absolutely adored. If you like survival classics like Lord of the Flies or Castaway, then this is a great read as well.

[tanasi1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I love this classic tale. I pick it up occasionally and read it again; it always feels like I am meeting an old friend once more.

[flydodofly · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

My absolute favourite as a child

[crashmyparty · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

For what was supposed to be the classic shipwreck story I couldn't help but be disappointed by Robinson Crusoe. It may have been the language of the time, but I found the story to be slow and frankly a little boring. It seemed to be a lot of lists of things that Crusoe was doing or accumulating or learning. And for someone who spent so long alone on an island, I would have thought that he would have gone at least a little bit crazy! 

[pickwick817 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book to me was both an epic adventure and a deeper look into the soul of an individual. It had both the survivalist type adventure, as well as the introspection of someone who finds themselves in an unimaginable situation. At first he refuses to believe in what is happening, then he moves into the realization that it is inevitable, then he adjusts again and can't concieve of the possibility of the change he has been dreaming of.

[jwarbler-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The storyline of this novel is intriguing enough, but since the medium was so new, Defoe's writing leaves much to be desires. Crusoe's constant listing and mood swings are hard to get through after a while.

[madspihl · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Read this, expecting to know the story, since it is a tale told all over the world. Was happily surprised to feel the pace of Crusoe's routines, and all the details of everyday life only made the story more believable. Wonderful read. Read Robert P. Marzec's "Enclosure, Colonization, and the Robinson Crusoe syndrome" parallel with Defoe's book - very interesting analysis. Text published in "boundary", 2:29:2, 2002 (Duke Uni. Press).

[pamici_2 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Started out quite interesting - then made the mistake of reading the historical basis for the story before finishing (Selkirk's Island). With the illusion shattered, I couldn't get back to the adventure with any gusto. :(

[scaryguy · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Timeless classic!

[fuzzi_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a classic that I'd missed reading for over five decades but determined to attempt this year. It was an enjoyable read, believable, and kept my interest throughout the tale.

[dilettanti-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Wilkie Collins put in the pen of Gabriel Betteredge the following words: "I have found it my friend in need in all the necessities of this mortal life. When my spirits are bad — ROBINSON CRUSOE. When I want advice — ROBINSON CRUSOE. In past times when my wife plagued me; in present times when I have had a drop too much — ROBINSON CRUSOE." At once both caricature and encomium, and each a fitting response.

[nortonius_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This novel is so good and such a bulwark of the proverbial canon that this series' editor's choice to modernize the language and syntax falls a bit flat. A good version for the un-initiated, though it pales in comparison to the experience of the original novel.

[jess_reads_books · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I heard a lot of negative things about the story of Robinson Crusoe, so when I decided to pick up the book I had my doubts. I have to say, I found the book engaging and the story thoroughly interesting. I loved everything about the book right up until the ending. I felt as though Defoe rushed the end and took away everything we enjoyed from the Robinson's island adventure.

[trasfavoritepastime · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

To say I hated this book is probably the understatement of the century. In fact, I'm only halfway through the book after six years! I just can't seem to bring myself to buckle down and finish it mainly because the main character is a whiny pompous ass who is just plain dislikeable. I should probably donate this book, but there is still this little part of me that insists on finishing it, although that will most likely never happen.

[garrison0550 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Sure, it's not for everyone, but what book is? I've read it many times. It's a great book, especially after a tough week or month surrounded by traffic, computers, and smog. Then I just want to be Robinson on my own private island, building, inventing, and slowly going happily mad!

[tommi180744 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Read another copy as a child - loved it - played games for a year based on this shipwrecked, lonely chap & Man Friday (younger sister in reality): Defoe's story is a timeless classic of imagination mixed with the reality of a seafaring mishap all too familiar to the era - amazingly his first novel when aged 60, & a masterpiece of its kind. Still love its vivid ruggedness, today.

[nwdavies-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Fascinating book both for its detailed subject matter and its insight into the mindset and culture of the late 17th and early 18th centuries.

[hazzabamboo · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Robinson Crusoe doesn't deserve classic status to my mind. The language and authorship seemed pedestrian. The most enjoyable passages were philosophical (his conversion to Christianity and Providence, for example) or concerning Friday and cannibals. These were outweighed by pages of narrative-choking detail about building fences and disposing of property, and the characters beside the protagonist are very thin.

[whatthedickens_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Although tedious at times, I found this book to be a captivating adventure. With allowances made for the time period the book was written, this book is a rather straighforward and intriguing adventure. It does get repetitive at times and bogs down with the detail of the drudgery of Crusoe's solitary life on the island, but perhaps that just give's one a sense of how monotonous and slowly life would pass if one were walking in Robinson Crusoe's shoes.

[charlie68_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The legend of Robinson Crusoe and his Man Friday are elaborated in the novel and one can understand the appeal. The audiobook is also nicely done.

[richard015 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Robinson Crusoe was bored with his quiet life in England,so desided to go sea.But one day,his ship overturned and he reached the uninhabited island alone.This book is very interesting. I was impressed by his caurage. I think I want to be brave person like him.

[becalee · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Terrible classic. Don't bother.

[.monkey.-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I think if someone cleared this of about 95% of the religious/"moral" drivel, it would be a decent story. As it is, much of it is bogged down by his droning on about that. But the story itself was fairly interesting. Not really recommended unless you're simply a fan of the old classics, and/or like having that sort of thing shoved endlessly down your throat.

[abba_dabba_doo · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

In Robinson Crusoe, an Englishman, Robinson, gets shipwrecked! He is stranded on an island for about 35 years... until hes 55 years old! He rescues a man that is being kept hostage by the island natives. He names this man Friday, because thats the day he met him! This book was very adventurous, which is fun to read about! It was written in Old English which was sometimes hard to understand.Overall, I thought this book was very interesting! And you should read it! :)

[vicarofdibley · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

based on the story of a man from selkirk in Scotland