Books with title The Coral Island: A Tale of the Pacific Ocean

Bring history back to life through Jim Hodges' historically accurate, exciting, and edifying audio recordings. R. M. Ballantyne, a devout Christian and outspoken advocate for Christian boyhood, changed the lives of hundreds of thousands with his globe-trekking adventure stories that emphasized Christian character in the face of adversity. In The Coral Island, three Christian boys, shipwrecked in the South Pacific, rely on godly wisdom, biblical insight, and plucky courage to outwit and overcome pirates and cannibals.

Probably R.M. Ballantyne's most popular and thrilling tale, The Coral Island is a breathtaking account of narrow escapes, harrowing trials while stranded in the south Pacific, the very real need of the cannibalistic savages for the light of the Gospel, and the courage of three young adventurers. Follow the journey of three boys---Ralph Rover, Jack Martin, and Peterkin Gay---as they survive on their own by the providence of God for months on end, encountering one exciting experience after another. When their ship is wrecked, the boys find themselves marooned on a coral island in the Pacific where they must make the most of what they have. Necessity becomes their best teacher, and they quickly learn how to make weapons, hunt wild pigs, drink coconut lemonade, and battle both cutthroat pirates and savage cannibals, braving all sorts of dangers in true manly fashion.

Three boys, Ralph, Peterkin and Jack, are stranded on an island - not a realistic portrayal of such a situation, but still successful and popular in its day. Its interesting to note that The Lord of the Flies was written in response to the unrealistic behavour and racism in this book.Book Excerptbalmy breeze fanned my cheek, and I thought of home, and the garden at the back of my father's cottage, with its luxuriant flowers, and the sweet-scented honey-suckle that my dear mother trained so carefully upon the trellised porch. But the roaring of the surf put these delightful thoughts to flight, and I was back again at sea, watching the dolphins and the flying-fish, and reefing topsails off the wild and stormy Cape Horn. Gradually the roar of the surf became louder and more distinct. I thought of being wrecked far far away from my native land, and slowly opened my eyes to meet those of my companion Jack, who, with a look of intense anxiety, was gazing into my face."Speak to us, my dear Ralph," whispered Jack, tenderly, "are you better now?"I smiled and looked up, saying, "Better; why, what do you mean, Jack? I'm quite well""Then what are you shamming for, and frightening us in this way?" said Peterkin, smiling through his tears; for the poor boy had been really under the impressi

[Read by Jim Hodges] Bring history back to life through Jim Hodges' historically accurate, exciting, and edifying audio recordings. R. M. Ballantyne, a devout Christian and outspoken advocate for Christian boyhood, changed the lives of hundreds of thousands with his globe-trekking adventure stories that emphasized Christian character in the face of adversity. In The Coral Island, three Christian boys, shipwrecked in the South Pacific, rely on godly wisdom, biblical insight, and plucky courage to outwit and overcome pirates and cannibals. Take a theological journey through a sampling of some of the world's best sermons, stories, and tales with the Overtly Christian Line.

The Coral IslandA Tale of the Pacific OceanR. M. BallantyneThe Coral Island: A Tale of the Pacific Ocean (1858) is a novel written by Scottish author R. M. Ballantyne. One of the first works of juvenile fiction to feature exclusively juvenile heroes, the story relates the adventures of three boys marooned on a South Pacific island, the only survivors of a shipwreck.The story is written as a first person narrative from the perspective of 15-year-old Ralph Rover, one of three boys shipwrecked on the coral reef of a large but uninhabited Polynesian island. Ralph tells the story retrospectively, looking back on his boyhood adventure: "I was a boy when I went through the wonderful adventures herein set down. With the memory of my boyish feelings strong upon me, I present my book specially to boys, in the earnest hope that they may derive valuable information, much pleasure, great profit, and unbounded amusement from its pages."The account starts briskly; only four pages are devoted to Ralph's early life and a further fourteen to his voyage to the Pacific Ocean on board the Arrow. He and his two companions – 18-year-old Jack Martin and 13-year-old Peterkin Gay – are the sole survivors of the shipwreck. The narrative is in two parts. The first describes how the boys feed themselves, what they drink, the clothing and shelter they fashion, and how they cope with having to rely on their own resources. The second half of the novel is more action-packed, featuring conflicts with pirates, fighting between the native Polynesians, and the conversion efforts of Christian missionaries.Fruit, fish and wild pigs provide plentiful food, and at first the boys' life on the island is idyllic. They build a shelter and construct a small boat using their only possessions: a broken telescope, an iron-bound oar, and a small axe. Their first contact with other humans comes after several months when they observe two large outrigger canoes in the distance, one pursued by the other. The two groups of Polynesians disembark on the beach and engage in battle; the victors take fifteen prisoners, and kill and eat one immediately. But when they threaten to kill one of the three women captured, along with two children, the boys intervene to defeat the pursuers, earning them the gratitude of the chief, Tararo. The next morning they prevent another act of cannibalism. The natives leave, and the boys are alone once more.