Nicholas Bentley Stoningpot III

by Ann McGovern, Tomie dePaola (illustrator)

Nicholas Bentley Stoningpot III was bored while sailing the seas with his parents and their friends. He wanted adventure, and the grown-ups were too busy for him. One night during an awful storm, the big boat is smashed to pieces. Nicky is cast ashore on an island, ready to have the greatest adventures of his life.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1982

About the author

Ann McGovern Scheiner (née Weinberger) was an American writer of more than 55 children's books, selling over 30 million copies. She may be best known for her adaptation of Stone Soup, as well as Too Much Noise, historical and travel non-fiction, and biographies of figures like Harriet Tubman and Deborah Sampson Gannett and Eugenie Clark.

Reviews

[The Brothers · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nicholas has parents who, for lack of a better term, aren't very good. They party and ignore him on their pleasure cruise. The boat catches fire and everyone - but Nicholas - is saved. He manages to get to an island on some driftwood and creates for himself a paradise.

There's a huge reward for his return, but every time a boat comes by to rescue him, he disguises himself because he doesn't want to go home.

Nice illustrations.

[Melki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Raised in a world of wealth and privilege, poor little rich boy Nicholas only discovers his true self after a shipwreck leads him to be stranded on a desert island. I was so, SO happy that he wasn't "rescued." With delightful illustrations by the great Tomie dePaola.

[Jaide · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful.
Just the right amount of suspending belief while being a charming wish-fulfillment story. How often did I wish as a kid to be self-sufficient on my own deserted island! I like the open-endedness of the story—that he built a raft to take him back, but wasn’t quite ready yet.
The writing is simple but lovely (the beach of sand as white as sugar) and I’ve always love Tomie DePaola’s art.

Ten times better than “Where the Wild Things Are”!

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Had this on the table and saw Jacob pick it up and start reading it but got distracted. Several days later I picked it up and read aloud to him. Fun book getting the perspective of a child and the illustrations were great. Ann McGovern and Tomie DePaola...enough said!...krb 3/10/19

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rounded up because my inner child insists it's worth four stars. It's a fantasy, of course. Also a fable, with a theme. Mostly though it's entertaining - I don't know any child who doesn't sometimes wonder what it would be like to be alone and self-sufficient.

[Brianna Justice · Rating 3 out of 5]

About a rich boy who gets shipwrecked on an island.

[Michelle Farella · Rating 3 out of 5]

de Paola's illustrations MADE this book!