Shipwrecks, battles, pirates, kidnapping and more are all found in The Coral Island. R M Ballantyne was a 19th century Scottish juvenile fiction writer. The Coral Island was voted into the list of top 20 Scottish novels in 2006. The adventure begins when three boys are the lone survivors of a shipwreck. They are on an uninhabited Polynesian island. Life is good. They have food and are able to construct shelter and a small boat. Their adventures begin when they spot two large outrigger canoes landing on their beach. The two groups battle and the boys help the Tararo chief defeat the attacking warriors. Pirates arrive on the island and the boys must hide in a cave. One of the boys creeps out to investigate and is captured. The action continues at a fast pace. This is a great adventure for boys who love the sea and are fascinated with all things pirate.