Abel's Island
Encyclopedia
Abel's Island is a children's novel written and illustrated by William Steig
. It won a Newbery Honor. It was published by Collin Publishers, Toronto, Canada in 1976. It is a survival story of a mouse stranded on an island.
, rabbits, toads and so on. As the book begins, Abel, a mouse, is enjoying a picnic with his wife Amanda, but they are interrupted by a fierce rainstorm and are forced to take shelter in a cave nearby. The two are separated when Abel braves the storm to retrieve Amanda's scarf, blown away by a gust of wind. The storm washes Abel into a river and he is swept downstream until he is stranded on an island.
Abel attempts to escape the island several times, but fails, and finally realizes that he must survive on the island by himself. He finds a log and makes it his home in the winter. To ease his loneliness, he creates his family out of clay and talks to them. Poor Abel has to live through the most hardest times, including battling an owl and surviving through a harsh winter.
Later in the novel, another stranded victim from the river, a frog named Gower, comes and befriends Abel. Later, he leaves promising that he will send for help when he gets back home. However, weeks pass and no one comes. Gower either forgot (due to his lack of memory), or he never made it back. Abel then decides to swim against the fierce river after the water level has dropped sufficiently. Abel eventually makes the hard trip back and returns to Mossville, where he is reunited with his beloved Amanda.
. Abel was voiced by Tim Curry
, and Gower was voiced by Lionel Jeffries
. In 1989, the movie won an Emmy Award
for Most Outstanding Animated Film under an hour.
Survival: Although escaping from the island is Abel's first concern, he soon has to worry about finding food and shelter. He also needs to stay on the lookout for predators.
Change: At the start of the story, Abel is a fop who never has to work. Being stranded on an island in the middle of river forces him to change and expect more from himself.
Love: Abel often thinks about his wife Amanda, and he clings to the hope of seeing her again. His clothes get rumpled and stained, but he takes care of his wife's scarf and guards it until he can return it to her
William Steig
William Steig was a prolific American cartoonist, sculptor and, later in life, an author of popular children's literature...
. It won a Newbery Honor. It was published by Collin Publishers, Toronto, Canada in 1976. It is a survival story of a mouse stranded on an island.
Plot summary
The story is set in the fictional town of Mossville, which is inhabited by civilized anthropomorphic animals, such as miceMouse
A mouse is a small mammal belonging to the order of rodents. The best known mouse species is the common house mouse . It is also a popular pet. In some places, certain kinds of field mice are also common. This rodent is eaten by large birds such as hawks and eagles...
, rabbits, toads and so on. As the book begins, Abel, a mouse, is enjoying a picnic with his wife Amanda, but they are interrupted by a fierce rainstorm and are forced to take shelter in a cave nearby. The two are separated when Abel braves the storm to retrieve Amanda's scarf, blown away by a gust of wind. The storm washes Abel into a river and he is swept downstream until he is stranded on an island.
Abel attempts to escape the island several times, but fails, and finally realizes that he must survive on the island by himself. He finds a log and makes it his home in the winter. To ease his loneliness, he creates his family out of clay and talks to them. Poor Abel has to live through the most hardest times, including battling an owl and surviving through a harsh winter.
Later in the novel, another stranded victim from the river, a frog named Gower, comes and befriends Abel. Later, he leaves promising that he will send for help when he gets back home. However, weeks pass and no one comes. Gower either forgot (due to his lack of memory), or he never made it back. Abel then decides to swim against the fierce river after the water level has dropped sufficiently. Abel eventually makes the hard trip back and returns to Mossville, where he is reunited with his beloved Amanda.
Animated feature
In 1988, Abel's Island was made into a 30-minute animated film Abel's Island, directed by Michael SpornMichael Sporn
Michael Sporn is an American animator who founded his New York-based company, Michael Sporn Animation in 1980, and has produced and directed numerous animated TV specials and short spots.-Career:...
. Abel was voiced by Tim Curry
Tim Curry
Timothy James "Tim" Curry is a British actor, singer, composer and voice actor, known for his work in a diverse range of theatre, film and television productions. He currently resides in Los Angeles, California....
, and Gower was voiced by Lionel Jeffries
Lionel Jeffries
Lionel Charles Jeffries was an English actor, screenwriter and film director.-Early life and career:Jeffries attended the Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Wimborne Minster, Dorset. In 1945, he received a commission in the Oxford and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry...
. In 1989, the movie won an Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
for Most Outstanding Animated Film under an hour.
Setting
Two settings are:- Mossville, a fictional town inhabited by small, anthropomorphic swamp and forest animals.
- The titular island in front of a waterfall in which Abel estimates to be "12,000 mouse tails long and 5,000 mouse tails wide".
Themes
Some of the major themes in Abel's Island include:Survival: Although escaping from the island is Abel's first concern, he soon has to worry about finding food and shelter. He also needs to stay on the lookout for predators.
Change: At the start of the story, Abel is a fop who never has to work. Being stranded on an island in the middle of river forces him to change and expect more from himself.
Love: Abel often thinks about his wife Amanda, and he clings to the hope of seeing her again. His clothes get rumpled and stained, but he takes care of his wife's scarf and guards it until he can return it to her