2011
WISE Score
Steampunk before it was cool: a giant squid, a mysterious captain, and the most famous submarine in literary history.
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This is the 'diet' version of Verne, and that's a compliment. The original 20,000 Leagues is notorious for long, dry lists of every fish species the characters see. This 2011 Calico adaptation cuts the fluff and sticks to the giant squids and secret islands.
It’s a solid win for parents who want to introduce the classics without the 'this is boring' eye-rolls. It’s visually engaging, safe as a library, and builds real literacy muscles while feeling like a popcorn adventure movie.
Perfect for the 8-12 crowd. It's the right bridge for kids who have outgrown Magic Tree House but aren't quite ready to tackle 500 pages of original Victorian prose.
It's a classic adventure that centers on discovery and scientific curiosity. While Captain Nemo is a brooding anti-hero, the story focuses on exploration and the wonders of the natural world.
Jules Verne basically invented the steampunk aesthetic. The Nautilus is one of the most iconic vessels in fiction, and this adaptation keeps that sense of wonder alive for younger readers.
Very safe for the intended middle-grade audience. There is mild peril involving sea monsters and shipwrecks, but it's standard adventure fare without graphic violence or mature themes.
Excellent for vocabulary building and introducing kids to the foundations of science fiction. It also touches on geography and marine biology (even if some of the 19th-century 'science' is now dated).
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