The Life of Robert Louis Stevenson for Boys and Girls by Jacqueline Overton tells the story of the author and poet in a style accessible to younger readers. This free eBook makes a wonderful read aloud while studying Stevenson’s works.
THE pirate, Ralph the Rover, so legend tells, while cruising off the coast of Scotland searching for booty or sport, sank the warning bell on one of the great rocks, to plague the good Abbot of Arbroath who had put it there. The following year the Rover returned and perished himself on the same rock.
In the life of one of Scotland’s great men, Robert Louis Stevenson, we find proud record of his grandfather, Robert Stevenson, having built Bell Rock Lighthouse on this same spot years afterward.
And so begins the tale of a beloved figure in literature whose life story rivals that of the characters he created.
The book is organized by location and you’ll find several photo illustrations of the places Stevenson lived.
Also fascinating is a bit of background on some of Stevenson’s characters who were based on those he knew or was related to: David Balfour, the hero of Kidnapped, was one of his own ancestors.
It was Kate Greenaway whose influence resulted in A Child’s Garden of Verses, that Stevenson originally called “The Penny Whistle.”
Stevenson traveled widely. There are many opportunities to learn about some of these locations.
Stevenson had turned from the strict Calvinistic faith of his family as a young man, but in later years it is apparent that he no longer held the same animosity towards spiritual things. His fictional characters also have changes of heart and a re-acceptance of childhood faith, or they re-evaluate their ideas to allow for the idea of a loving God who does care and is in control. Stevenson spent the last four years of his life on an island in Samoa. The warm, moist air helped his breathing. There he instituted nightly prayers for the native employees and taught them about the God of the Bible. Why would you do that if you didn’t believe the God of the Bible was real and worth knowing?
Who Should We Then Read by Jan Bloom
We seem to have covered the works of Robert Louis Stevenson frequently. It is fitting to have found a biography that can run alongside. And free!
Free eBook
- Read online
- Various formats (EPUB, Kindle)
Suggestions
- Find the locations mentioned and map them.
- Make a list of the works by Robert Louis Stevenson mentioned in the book.
- Create an author page for Stevenson.
- Study a few of his works (some are listed below).
- Choose a favorite Stevenson work to write a book review of.
Additional Resources
100 Best Books for Children ~ Stevenson
A Child’s Garden of Verses on our reading list. Also see the review, activities, and free eBook!
Two Robert Louis Stevenson selections from our Online Poetry Anthology:
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