After days of being tossed and battered by a raging storm, the ship on which the narrator, his wife, and their four sons are passengers smashes against a reef — and the last lifeboat pulls away without them.

Next morning, the intrepid, loving little family finds itself cast away on an uninhabited island. Never losing hope, they retrieve what they can from the ship and construct a life for themselves through their own resourcefulness — building a tree house, finding such foods as coconuts, sugarcane, honey, and potatoes, and securing themselves against danger. Adventure follows adventure as they explore the island, encounter wild birds and terrifying animals, plant crops, build sturdier shelters, and settle in for a long stay.

Although there are many hardships, the family lives in peace and harmony, and even rescues a girl who was stranded on a nearby island.