The incorporation of English novels into the Spanish literary system during the 18th century is characterized, in general terms, by their late appearance, especially when a comparison is drawn with other European countries, and by French mediation. One of the most illustrative examples is the assimilation process followed by Robinson Crusoe. It appeared for the first time in Spain in 1826 in an abridged version for children. This paper aims to explore some of the many factors that may play a part in the late appearance of this novel and its reception as a juvenile or children’s book. Apart from the socio-political circumstances that turned Spain into a country very suspicious of foreign influence, an important factor to take into account is the influence of French mediation. Most of the 19th-century Spanish translations of Robinson Crusoe are second-hand translations from French and inherit the didactic and moralizing interpretation that French makes of Robinson Crusoe.