Kidnapped: Adapted for Young Readers

By Robert Louis Stevenson

A tale of high adventure and gripping drama, Kidnapped is the story of David Balfour, a young Scotsman orphaned by the death of his father. He is sent to live with his uncle Ebenezer, who, as circumstances soon reveal, turns out to be a ruthless old man who fears David may try to claim an inheritance relinquished to Ebenezer by David's father. To get David out of the way, his uncle pays a ship's captain to kidnap the boy, take him to sea and eventually sell him into bondage. Aboard ship the plucky young lad meets Alan Breck Stewart, a Scottish rebel with a price on his head. Together, they survive a shipwreck, struggle to elude the King's forces and endure many hardships before reaching safety. A thrilling classic full of danger and difficulty, courage and triumph, Kidnapped has delighted countless readers since it was first published in 1886. It has been skillfully abridged for this version, which retains all the adventure and excitement of the original. Brimming with fast-paced action, colorful atmosphere and vivid characters, this edition of the novel introduces young readers (and listeners) to one of Robert Louis Stevenson's finest creations.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0486293548
• ISBN13: 9780486293547
• Release Date: November 2011
• Publisher: Dover Publications
• Length: 96 Pages
• Weight: 0.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 5.2" x 8.2"
• Age Range: 8 to 14 years
• Grade Range: Grades 3 to 9

Customer Reviews

An exciting adventure

The book Kidnapped was a very good book filled with excitement and adventure. As I read this book, I could actually imagine what was happening. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading books about exciting adventures. It was fun to read about how a young Scottish boy, David Balfour, finds himself in a horrible situation after being betrayed by his uncle. David is only seventeen years old and is robbed of his inheritance by his own uncle. David must try and find a way to prove himself not guilty after being accused of murder and he must try to stay safe while doing it. Read this book and find out what David does to protect himself on his incredible journey.

A Great Read

I missed this one as a kid, which is too bad, because I think I would have appreciated it then as well. Set following the failed Scottish rebellion, 'Kidnapped' tells the story of young David Balfour, whose greedy uncle tries to cheat him out of his inheritance by having him kidnapped and sold in the American colonies as a slave. On the way, however, he befriends a Jacobite rebel and is instead caught up in the Scottish troubles and has to fight his way back to his home and claim his inheritance. The adventure is all the more exciting because it feels like such a real world with all the careful place-related detail Stevenson employs. While the language can be difficult in places, that quickly fades once you get into the rhythm of the book.

High adventure and edge of your seat suspense...

I find that Mr. Stevenson is a very talented writer because his story was described excellently and the suspense seemed very real.Kidnapped is the story of a young man's adventures. This particular young man was named David Balfour. After his parents passed away David set off in search of his rich uncle, to find himself a new home. Little did he know that on his arrival that his uncle would try to chase him away with a gun, and would be the most miserly person David had ever met. For fear of having to feed David, the uncle had him kidnapped aboard a ship that would take him to America to work on the plantations. Due to an unexpected change in the weather, however, the ship was wrecked on the coast of Scotland, and there the adventure began.On the back of the novel it says that this book has been enjoyed by generations and shall be enjoyed for generations to come. When I chose to read this novel I wasn't sure if that statement would be true. I was pleasantly surprised. I really enjoyed the story, I found it to be well written and exciting. I looked forward to the end because I was curious to see what would happen. I'd say any book that is good enough to be deemed a classic has an importance all it's own. I have not read many classics but I find this book important because it holds a lot of information pertaining to the history and culture of Scotland and it's people. In other words, this is a great story, read it!

On "Kidnapped"

"Kidnapped" is the second of Stevenson's two most famous adventure novels, the other being "Treasure Island." The novel is not only a marvelous tale of adventure, friendship and suspense, but is also an exploration of the eighteenth-century Scottish culture. Through brilliant use of dialect and faithful imitation of the Scottish Highlanders, Stevenson conveys to us the life of the Highland rogue during that period. Also, the book can be viewed as a story of a sixteen-year-old's passage to manhood, achieved through risk-taking, friendships and bravery. An essential read.