The Count of Monte Cristo : Illustrated Abridged Children Classics English Novel with Review Questions

Illustration is good but the book quality is really poor, the book didn’t last much…

I read this in High School and it easily became one of my favorite books ever. I bought this for my kids to introduce them to classical reading options. Read this with them and it was just as good as the original.

From India, the most recent children's Monte Cristo book (2021) is the first one in decades that comes in hardcover, with an actual sewn binding. Of the 220 pages, about 25% of the book are full-page illustrations, derived from 19th century books, converted to line-art and modified slightly. These can be colored-in by kids.Unlike most kids' books, it mentions drugs- the Count (as Sinbad) gives hashish to Franz and he carries a hashish/opium concoction in a hollowed-out emerald. Coverage of Franz/Sinbad and the Rome Adventure is excellent but this level of detail comes at a cost- at the halfway point, the book hadn't even left Rome yet!The Andrea Cavalcanti subplot is badly done: a) It masks his illegitimate origins, b) not enough emphasis that stolen baby=Benedetto=Andrea, c) The Cavalcantis aren't impostors, paid by the Count d) the Major is independently wealthy, believes Andrea is his true son and lavishes money on him e) Andrea pointlessly murders Caderousse (blackmail not involved). And there IS NO PUBLIC TRIAL or outing of Andrea's true identity!By page 212, Fernand is finished, his death rather graphically described as "he blew his brains out". There's 8 more pages to cover the downfalls of Villefort and Danglars and the Max/Val resolution and ending, and it's a complete failure. That is not the place for 4 full-page illustrations...too much plot yet to cover! Villefort goes "crazy" (insane) because he believes that Valentine died. The culprit never pays for the crime. Danglars goes bankrupt because the Andrea/Eugenie wedding was cancelled, and his wife and daughter leave him. That's it. The last scene with Max/Val and The Count/Haydee goes by too quickly.Initially, this book had a lot of promise. The illustrations are great, and so is the text, until it approaches the ending. That's when the inefficient use of text and space in the early/middle chapters becomes glaring. It really needed tighter editing: like shortening or removing less consequential parts such as: King's cabinet at Tuileries, Sinbad's palace, drugs, Rome, breakfast chatter with Albert and his friends, and the M. Zaccone misdirection ploy, in order to place the focus where it belongs- the careful setup and execution of revenge against Fernand, Villefort and Danglars!

The font is large enough, but the paper quality is quite low (really thin paper that allows the print from one side to bleed into the other)

Short version of the book, not interesting at all

My 11yo son could not read it because of the cutsHe said it was jumping and skipping a lotAlso after 5 minutes of reading he spotted several grammar mistakes.