The novel opens with the family in the hold of a sailing ship, weathering a great storm.

The ships' passengers evacuate without them, and William and Elizabeth Robinson and
their four children (Fritz, Ernest, Jack and Francis) are left to survive alone. As the ship
tosses about, the father - William - prays that God will spare them.
The ship survives the night and the family finds themselves within sight of a
tropical desert island. The next morning, they decide to get to the island they can see
beyond the reef. With much effort, they construct a vessel out of tubs. After they fill the
tubs with food and ammunition and all other articles of value they can safely carry, they
row toward the island. Two dogs from the ship swim beside them. The ship's cargo
of livestock (including chickens and domesticated geese), guns & powder, carpentry
tools, books, a disassembledpinnace, and provisions have survived.
Upon reaching the island, the family set up a makeshift camp. The father knows that they
must prepare for a long time on the island and his thoughts are as much on provisions
for the future as for their immediate wants. William and his oldest son Fritz spend the
next day exploring the island.
The family spends the next few days securing themselves against hunger. William and
Fritz make several trips to the ship in their efforts to bring ashore everything useful from
the vessel. The domesticated animals on the ship are towed back to the island. There is
also a great store of firearms and ammunition, hammocks for sleeping, carpenters tools,
lumber, cooking utensils, silverware, and dishes. Initially they construct a treehouse, but
as time passes (and after Elizabeth is injured climbing the stairs down from it), they settle
in a more permanent dwelling in part of a cave.
The book covers two years. The father and older boys explore various environments
about the island. At the end, the father wonders if they will ever again see the rest of
humanity. A few years later, a European ship is driven onto their island. The captain is
given the journal containing the story of their life on the island. The captain is unable to
return to the island because of a storm. He returns to Europe where the story is
published. The family continue to live tranquilly on their island.

Characters[edit]

William The father. He is the narrator of the story and leads the family. He
knows a great deal of information on everything from roots to hunting, demonstrating
bravery and self-reliance.

Elizabeth The mother. She is intelligent and resourceful, arming herself even
before leaving the ship with a "magic bag" filled with supplies, including sewing
materials and seeds for food crops. She is also a remarkably versatile cook, taking
on anything from Porcupine Soup to Roast Penguin.

Fritz The oldest of the four boys, he is 15. Fritz is intelligent but impetuous. Fritz
is the strongest and accompanies his father on many quests.

Ernest The second oldest of the boys, he is 13. Ernest is the most intelligent,
but a less physically active boy, often described by his father as "indolent". Like Fritz
however, he comes to be an excellent shot.

Jack The third oldest of the boys, 11 years old. He is thoughtless, bold,
vivacious, and the quickest of the group.

Franz (sometimes translated as Francis) The youngest of the boys, he is 8

years old when the story opens. He usually stays home with his mother.

Emily Montrose (called Jenny in Montolieu's version) An English girl found on

Smoking Rock near the end of the novel. She is shy, but soon is adopted into the
family. She is not a character in the original German, but was invented by Isabelle de
Montolieu.

Nip (also called Knips or Nips in some editions) An orphan monkey adopted by
the family after their dogs have killed his mother. The family use him as a test subject
for unfamiliar foods.

Fangs A jackal that was tamed by the family.