Abel's Island

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This article discusses the novel. For the 1988 animated film, please see Abel's Island (animated film).

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. It is believed that it influenced modern survival stories like Cast Away.

[edit] Plot summary

The story starts off in the busy upper-class town of Mossville where different species of civilized animals live (mice, rabbits, toads, etc.) Abel, the story's protagonist, is enjoying a picnic with his wife Amanda. The mouse couple are living the high life as Mossville's environment shows its content manner. Later, a rainstorm come in. It becomes so strong that Abel and Amanda must retreat and find shelter in a cave, where others are hiding from the fierce rain. Amanda's beloved scarf falls off from the strong wind, so Abel goes off to retrieve it. Abel is pushed and carried from the storm and is thrown into a river. From there one, he grabs onto a nailboard and floats miles away to a stranded island.

There, Abel goes into severe depression and loneliness. Abel attempts to escape the island with different plans (Like flying with a leaf, building a bridge, etc.) yet he fails. There on he realizes that he must survive on the island by himself. He finds a log and makes it his home. To ease is loneliness, he creates his family out of clay and talks to them.

Abel soon finds a book titled Sons and Daughters and pocketwatch left behind from a "large creature" (human). He reads the book, which tells a sidestory of a bear and his adventures at sea.

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 past 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. Abel eventually makes the hard trip back and returns to Mossville. He then meets Amanda again.

[edit] Animated feature

In 1988, Abel's Island was made into a 30-minute animated film Abel's Island, directed by Michael Sporn. 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.