Journey to the Center of the Earth

Fast Track Classics

by Kathleen Olmstead (Adapter), Arthur Pober, Eric Freeberg

�Go down the crater of the volcano Snaefells. Follow the shadow just before the month of July. You will find your way to the center of the Earth. I did it.” That mysterious message, found in a long-lost letter, propels a young man and his uncle on the adventure of a lifetime: to a prehistoric world below the earth where dinosaurs and other strange creatures still roam. Jules Verne's classic fantasy will enchant a new generation of readers.

Genres: Childrens, Fiction, Classics, Middle Grade, Science Fiction, Historical Fiction, Fantasy

160 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1864

About the author

Kathleen Olmstead is the author of several Classic Starts books, including Anne of Avonlea and Moby Dick, as well as Jacques Cousteau: A Life Under the Sea and Matthew Henson: The Quest for the North Pole, both in the Sterling Biographies series.

Reviews

[Jerry (Rebel With a Massive Media Library) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jules Verne was an amazing writer, and this adaptation of one of his best-known works does him justice. In true Wishbone fashion, this book retells a timeless story with dashes of humor and fun. I'm glad I got this as part of an eBay lot.

[Noah · Rating 5 out of 5]

it was very exiting that I almost was a 6 star

[Tajwar Rahman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about a scientist named Professor Lidenbrock and his nephew, Axel Lidenbrock. They find a secret message written in a book by Arne Saknussemm. The uncle of Axel is very ignorant so he won’t listen to anyone if they advise him to not make the trip to the center of the earth. Knowing this, Axel didn’t want to tell his uncle the message that he decoded, Axel tells Professor Lidenbrock anyway because he cannot hide anything from his uncle. The uncle and the nephew go to Mount Snaefell, an extinct mountain. Hans, a character who appears into the story as the Lidenbrocks’ guide, accepts to take them to the center of the earth Hans is like a servant to the Lidenbrocks because he will do anything they ask him to do. The three men go in a long journey, which took over a month. There were many casualties, such as Axel getting lost, the team running out of water, etc.
I would recommend.. this book to those who like adventure. They would like it because it has steep events, meaning one event isn’t as effective but the next event is. I would give this book a rating of five because it is action packed, and it was so interesting that I couldn’t stop reading or flipping to the next page.

[Jenny Clark · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yet another Wishbone I forgot I had till I got on here and scanned all my books. I want to eventually read the original. This was another quite good retelling, simple for a kid to read and short enough to hold their attention.
The illustrations are quite well done as well.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

(read this aloud to D summer 2023, 14 yrs, going to be a freshman)

we enjoyed this book. an adventure story about Uncle Liedenbrock and his nephew and a guide they hired to follow the clues they found in an old book about how to get to the center of the earth through a volcano in Iceland. It was quite a journey into tunnels, caves, extreme temps and lack of water. They ended up finding a hidden huge body of water with lots of big creatures and finally in the end, ended up coming back up to the surface of the earth somewhere in or near Italy. Quite the story! We watched the movie (with Brendan Fraser) and we liked it a lot! That surprised us! Not many movies are good like the books are. But this movie was well done with some modern updates to the characters - a modern version based on the story - fun to watch for kids, even 8-yr old A liked it. It was a fun one to watch, full of action!

[Daniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

we enjoyed this book. an adventure story about Uncle Liedenbrock and his nephew and a guide they hired to follow the clues they found in an old book about how to get to the center of the earth through a volcano in Iceland. It was quite a journey into tunnels, caves, extreme temps and lack of water. They ended up finding a hidden huge body of water with lots of big creatures and finally in the end, ended up coming back up to the surface of the earth somewhere in or near Italy. Quite the story! We watched the movie (with Brendan Fraser) and we liked it a lot! That surprised us! Not many movies are good like the books are. But this movie was well done with some modern updates to the characters - a modern version based on the story - fun to watch for kids, even 8-yr old A liked it. It was a fun one to watch, full of action!

[Geronimo Narnia · Rating 5 out of 5]

The part where they survived an eruption in the volcano was amazing. There was a sea in the volcano; that was really weird. And the part about the sea that I really like was there was a storm of hail, rain, and fireballs. And you could hardly breathe.

[Hana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book made me confused several times,I think 🤔 💭 they might’ve travelled 🧳 🧭 back in time! My favorite part which I also got confused was when they were in the Liedenbrock sea but came out of a volcano 🌋 in Italy 🇮🇹.

[Aurora · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know this was an abridged version, but it was so much fun to read! I only read this book for a class assignment & I was curious on how the movie "Journey to the Center of the Earth" portrayed the events of this book.

[Mike Reinking · Rating 4 out of 5]

Verne’s classic tale but told for a junior reader - disappointing that it’s the only version my library has. Will search for the original full length version at a book store. Still - for the time it was written, it is a wildly inventive and exciting read.

[Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun filled, action packed, adventurous kinda book. I recommend this to boys who have a hard time trying to find a good fit book.

[Shayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another well done short version of the original. We read one chapter a night to our kids and they loved the story and looked forward to the reading time.

[Rebecca Page Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rebecca Black and white house press Secretary George Washington university school and work with me

[Dave · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read to my kid. They liked it a lot, but I was surprised at how much of the book is basically downtime.

[Kaitlin Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

I

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun way to introduce classics to littles (my kiddos 4 and 6 loved it after getting through the first few chapters which were a bit dry).

[Tristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

characters- 3 the characters were described but only with brief info he never got into there back rounds and didnt reall touch base on the phsical pheatures. i didnt have anything againsy the character but none of them really appealed to me. all the characters stayed true to there self

setting-5 the setting first takes place in a large town called fatherland "his home in fatherland"(vernes1) but threw out the book the make it to the center of the earth.the setting is important because its the main part of the story,the book is a little slowthe setting affects the story very much because as stayted befor its a adventure book to the center of the earth which is a major part of the settin "a jorney to the cenetr of earth"(vernes28)this can take place in recent time because there really is no difference is technology.

plot-4he story was told well and good i gets boring though after awhile.i predicted that they would make it to the center and be safe and make it home it was a pretty pridictable book except for a few parts.

theme-3i think the theme is just adventure that every part of are life and experience is a adventure and we need to take hold of it and walk doen the path.

personal response-4 i like the book kinda i got really boring and slow. i wouldnt reacommend it only because it gets very boring and there isnt really to much excitement at the endbut rather than that it was a good book and story

[Scott Hession · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fantastic and exciting story, following young Axel and his uncle, Professor Lidenbrock, on their journey to the center of the earth. Many have said to me how capturing Jules Verne’s novels are, and after finally reading my first, I can see how true that is. Verne’s talent in description fueled my imagination whilst reading, and I became fixated by their journey through caves, caverns, underground oceans and hot springs which led them to deep areas filled with various forms of pre-historic life – how exhilarating!

This sort of science fiction classic is right up my street and I’m sure it would captivate the minds of young children as well, particularly boys. I would recommend it for upper KS2 for independent reading, if for individual reading practice, but it would bring me joy to see an entire class be enthralled by the book’s adventure as I read it out to them.

[TJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kathleen Olmstead tells the story of Axel and his uncle and their guide traveling to the center of the earth in his fiction novel “Journey to the Center of the Earth”. Axel and his uncle had to be to Iceland before the month of July started. At one point in the the story Axel was looking at the walls and got lost from the group. When Axel and his uncle were looking around on the beach they saw a cave man. I think the book was an easy read. I liked it alot and I never got confused. The ending was very good. I would recommend this to a person who likes to read adventure books. Why did the compass point south instead of north? Why was it not hot at the center of the earth? How is there cavemen at the center of the earth riding mammoths? “If you misunderstand then you are simply not listening/” (Pg. 3).

[Nicolas · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first experience of a science fiction novel. Although many of the scientific theories in this book are dated, such as the reason for a volcano erupting, the book is very educational. It was an eye opener for me, making science seem like an adventure or something to write creatively about. This book also introduced me to the classic, journey story-structure. With one unbelievable discovery after another, I stumbled along in amazement from beginning to end.

[Revath · Rating 5 out of 5]

Genius book for my childhood self. I didn't like the journey to the center of the earth the non wishbone edition. I Thoroughly enjoyed this little dog going to the center of the earth. It was enjoyable of wishbone the dog that goes on adventures. I also used to watch its shows since i was in 5th grade. Every night. It was nice.

[Diosanubiz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another wonderful book for Jules Verne. It was incredible read it. I imagine all of the journey. Verne was a great writer. I though I read a couple of book about his novels. I really enjoyed it always a pleasure could read the classics.
4.5 stars I give it.
This is an optional way to read classics.
As always classic starts write their books for youngest readings like me

[Aisha Nanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Feels like i came back to my child year when a book gave fascinating imagination of adventure. My fav part was when the three pass along the coast with fossil of a thousand-years-extinct animals, and when the mastodon and prehistoric human pass in front of them. What a weird-yet-excited feeling they'd have! I love it!

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this book up at the library, thinking that my 6-yr-old might like me to read it to him. But he and my 2-yr-old LOVED it! They thought it was exciting, and I felt excited that they were interested in such a classic book.

[Jodie Landes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm normally not one to enjoy books written in or near the Victorian era since they tend to be very verbose and slow-paced. But, this book surprised in how fast-paced it was and good character development.

[Valerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this with my reading support kids and they loved it. It was a bit confusing at the end trying to explain the abyss and gravity and magnetism and an electrical storm, but they enjoyed the mystery and adventure!

[Timothy Bachheimer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think that Journey to the Center of the Earth was a good book, but the problem is that it was quite short, when it was retold, compared to the movie, and you can hardly know where the setting is when they tell you the story, so I would give it a three star.

[Joycetho1 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought that this was a great book. It is about a man named Axle that goes on a great adventure with his uncle Lidenbrock, and a man named Hans. There ultimate destination is the center of the earth. I thought that this book was well written, and fast moving. I really enjoyed this book.

[Kim McGee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am using this as part of my library camp this Summer. Classic Starts is a great way to introduce the classics to a younger group of kids 7 and up without scaring them with size and vocabulary. I did think this retelling was a bit too stripped down from the original however.

[Miranda]

Reading Sagan's chapter on volcanos in Pale Blue Dot brought this book back from the deep recesses of my mind. It completely terrified/fascinated my 8 year-old self and upon reflection, I really should get around to reading the original.