The Coral Island

The Coral Island is a novel written by R. M. Ballantyne and originally published in 1857. It is notable for being one of the first juvenile novels in which the protagonists are also young people.

This work tells the story and adventures of three boys, who were the only survivors of a shipwreck, marooned on a South Pacific island.

They are on a small circular island, about 20 kilometers in diameter and with two small mountains and numerous valleys.

They quickly learn to survive on the island, getting plenty of fruit, fish and even meat from wild pigs. They are able to build a shelter and a small boat from the wreck of the shipwreck, which provides them with some tools.

However, during their exploration they discover the ruins of a hut, which houses the remains of an earlier shipwreck. This makes them worry and consider the option of not establishing contact with other people ever again and spend their whole lives on the island...

Although its vision of what life on a desert island would be like for a group of castaways is criticized for being too naive and romanticizing some dangers, the book has been a success for decades and is still being reprinted today...