Book Description

Shortlisted for the Keith Barker Millennium Children’s Books Award.

Aboard the Swallow, John, Susan, Titty and Roger find themselves under attack from the fierce Amazon Pirates, Nancy and Peggy. ... Read more

Reviews (40)

Swallows and Amazons forever!
I read this book for the first time when I was 37 and loved it so much I took to the sea and had adventures of my own. It's a wonderful, wonderful book for anyone who has ever dreamed of being on a boat -- or even for anyone who hasn't. Pemmican, bunloaf and chocolate have become staples of my diet; the descriptions of Susan's meals are out-of-this-world. In addition, the book is filled with practical lessons for sailing from how to line up markers to get into a hidden harbor to how to sail at night. I am Titty and my friend is Susan because he keeps careful lists and is always prepared. Our boat is "Summer Song" and we sail on the coast of Maine. We're looking forward to David Godine's publication of the complete series of books.

Exciting book for children [and adults] of all ages!
The first book in the Swallows and Amazons series, this book contains the adventures of the swallows, John, Susan, Titty and Roger, and their amazon pirate friends, Nanci and Peggy. Adventure is the keyword for this book. Battles with the amazons, the taking of Captain Flint and his walking of the plank, fishing for sharks and camping on desert islands. Swallows and Amazons contains all of this and more. An exciting read for all ages, it is a guide to adventure, camping and sailing that can't be beat. A must for any bookshelf

Timeless Delight
I first read this when I was a child, and remember crying buckets when it finished because I thought there was no more - in fact I was wrong, there are eleven more books, all wonderful. These stories are full of joy, inoocence and adventure, and are a tonic in our dark and uncertain times. I visited the scenes of some of them in England, and was surprised at how geographically exact they are. The characters are real, the stories believeable, and, with the various illustrations by the author, they create a truely magic world. They are also books about how to do things. You can, for example. p[ick up quite a good education in sailing and seamanship from reading them, along with how to smelt gold, burn charcoal, survey tidal mudflats, and all manner of other things. Hal GP Colebatch's book, "Return of the Heroes," which I have reviewed in its own page, sets out a good deal about Ransome, and among other things indicates some relationships between him and Tolkien. If you love sailing, and the innocent, sunny golden days of childhood, buy these books and do yourself a favour. If you have hildren, buy these books for them!

A classic deserving of a wider audience
I didn't discover Ransome's series until I was in my 20s, but I picked the first one up out of curiosity and was hooked.

As a child, I was a great explorer, going all over the local landscape, giving names to the different topographical features. I loved to camp and ramble. I loved boating, although I never sailed, and a picnic on an island in the river nearby (and a chance to explore said island on my own while everyone else was fishing) was a joy I'll never forget.

This book, and the others in the series, recapture those happy days for me. This one is very innocent, with no real violence or menace, but full of joyful adventure. The children are great role models; they're feisty and independent, yet still respectful of their elders. They're imaginative but know when to set aside their fantasies and deal with realities.

The book also conveys the joy of adventure and the great outdoors, and also shows that everyone has something important to contribute. Sure, one member of the group might be more interested in cooking and provisions, but that's necessary.

The adults take a back seat in these books, generally, but they're there. This one, especially, can be seen as a test by the parents to see how responsible their children are, and it's implicit that the kids are doing their best to prove themselves to their parents. The parents don't neglect them, they're there if they're needed, and check up on them regularly, but they also give them space to ramble and have an adventure.

Today it may seem as if these parents are letting their kids run wild; but I think families today could use books like this. When you have kids who are shuttled back and forth to band practice and swim team and heaven knows what else, they need the time to just relax and let things happen. When kids live in front of the TV and play video and computer games all day, they need to be reminded that there is all sorts of adventure outside. When kids are smothered by overprotective or controlling parents, they need space to be independent and prove themselves.

The only caveat I can give this book is sometimes the language can be confusing. The accumulation of sailing terms can bog a novice down, and there are some Britishisms that may puzzle some American readers, like referring to something called "bunloaf" and calling dessert "pudding." But heck, that's only minor, and ideally will inspire readers to do some research.

I highly recommend this for older readers, for children who enjoy the great outdoors or for children who have the opportunities and need to be inspired to take them. Adults, like me, who have happy memories of exploring will enjoy this as well, and it may inspire more adventures! These books may inspire you to buy more camping equipment, so beware! :)

A wonderful tale of times gone by
Recently I've started going back and re-reading some of the books I loved as a child - something insprired by Francis Spufford's wonderful "The Child That books Built".

One of my favorite series from my childhood was the Swallows & Amazons series. How I loved the idea of sailing off with the Walker and Blackett children; I had the biggest crush on Nancy that I've ever had for a fictional character!

So, here I am re-reading them and they are truly as marvellous as they ever were. If you have any interest in sailing, camping, the lake district or just plain good story telling, read these books.

The first in the series, Swallows & Amazons, is also, arguably, the best of the bunch. This is the tale at it's purest and before more and more characters come in to dilute the stories a little. Don't get me wrong - a number of the other books are also five star candidates but there will always be a special place in my heart for the one that started it all.

For children today, I think these tales will still give something. For their time the girls in the stories were very strong characters - in particular Nancy Blackett holds her own with any of the boys. And where we do find some rather ... examples (the girls cook while the boys mend sails) I think we can easily put it in the context of the time, and use it as a touchpoint for how far equality has come (or perhaps to use examples of families where it really hasn't changed much).

Arthur Ransome is very detailed about the specifics of sailing; for me that was part of the beauty of the books. I never did learn to sail but I always thought I could after reading his novels! But, if that's not your cup of tea, feel free to skip those parts - you won't lose much by doing so. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Superb
This book from the 1930s or 40s starts with a group of kids sailing in the Hebrides with Uncle Jim -- the uncle of two of them -- at the end of their cruise. They stop to spend a day taking care of the borrowed boat -- cleaning the bottom and putting on a new coat of bottom paint -- and while the older ones are doing this, the younger ones explore. One of them goes birdwatching, and sees something unusual.

Sounds pretty dull, right? Wrong. Like all the Ransome (non-fantasy) books, the bad-guy in this book -- an egg-collector -- is completely plausible AND horrible. The multiple story lines are all intriguing. The respect for decent behavior (cleaning the bottom of someone else's boat? Making sure to bury a bit of waxed paper from your sandwich...in 1935??? Respecting property ... not disturbing wildlife ... Passing behind a sailboat when you're in a faster motorboat...) isn't drilled in with a ham-handed holier-than-thou-ness; it's just part of what you get when you read the book. You also get a terrific adventure, a fingernail-biting crisis and denoument (remember when denoument was part of a good story?), humor, character, and a feeling of the Hebrides that you just don't forget.

If your kids don't like this book, keep the book and throw the kids in the trash. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Swashbuckling children's adventure!
This volume in Arthur Ransome's "Swallows and Amazons" series finds the Swallows and Amazons in rare old adventuring form, sailing off to the distant Caribbean (together with grown-ups Captain Flint and the original Old Salt Tar himself, Peter Duck) in search of buried pirate treasure! Along the way, they have to contend with numerous hazards, from sailing in thick fog in the English Channel, to enduring earthquake and tempest, as well as fending off a shipload of villainous pirates intent on getting their hands on the same treasure. If this all sounds rather more daring and far-fetched than can be found in other "Swallows and Amazons" stories, there is good reason for this - although the explanation is not revealed until the next book, "Swallowdale". (This latter was originally published as the second volume of the series but, for obvious reasons, is best left until after you've read "Peter Duck"!)

Despite its somewhat fanciful content, Ransome keeps the tale eminently believable and builds the excitement gradually, drawing the reader inexorably into the events that unfold. You really do just have to keep turning the pages to find out what happens next! By the latter stages, it becomes impossible to put down.

Sprinkled with numerous delightful pen and ink illustrations (charmingly credited to the Swallows and Amazons themselves!) this book is a lovely production. In short, it is nothing short of a little masterpiece that should be on everyone's reading list.

Swashbuckling children's adventure
This volume in Arthur Ransome's "Swallows and Amazons" series finds the Swallows and Amazons in rare old adventuring form, sailing off to the distant Caribbean (together with grown-ups Captain Flint and the original Old Salt Tar himself, Peter Duck) in search of buried pirate treasure! Along the way, they have to contend with numerous hazards, from sailing in thick fog in the English Channel, to enduring earthquake and tempest, as well as fending off a shipload of villainous pirates intent on getting their hands on the same treasure. If this all sounds rather more daring and far-fetched than can be found in other "Swallows and Amazons" stories, there is good reason for this - although the explanation is not revealed until the next book, "Swallowdale". (This latter was originally published as the second volume of the series but, for obvious reasons, is best left until after you've read "Peter Duck"!)

Despite its somewhat fanciful content, Ransome keeps the tale eminently believable and builds the excitement gradually, drawing the reader inexorably into the events that unfold. You really do just have to keep turning the pages to find out what happens next! By the latter stages, it becomes impossible to put down.

Sprinkled with numerous delightful pen and ink illustrations (charmingly credited to the Swallows and Amazons themselves!) this book is a lovely production. In short, it is nothing short of a little masterpiece that should be on everyone's reading list.

Good fun
This book is actually a fantasy within the context of the series. In the previous book, SWALLOWDALE, we encounter Peter Duck as a fictional character and how he was the star of a story made up by the children and Captain Flint during a winter stay in a boat.

That aside, this is good adventure. The children assemble for a summer holiday sailing in the English Channel, and are joined by a crusty old seaman who's being pursued by some criminals, who know that he knows where a treasure is buried in the Caribbean. After some misadventures, the crew sets off across the Atlantic, along the way picking up a small boy who was part of the criminal's crew.

In the Caribbean, they encounter some eerie crabs and some harrowing scenes that are the aftermath of a volcanic explosion at some distance. The treasure is found and the villains are dispatched in a rather overly convenient deus ex machina ending that I rather disliked; it's the only reason I chopped a star off this otherwise grand entertainment.

This book has the usual S&A series messages about the joys of adventure and of being outdoors, and the importance of courage and self-reliance as well as teamwork. Next in the series: WINTER HOLIDAY.

One of the best stories in the series
I remember reading Peter Duck as a child and being a little disappointed. As a child the adventures of the Swallows & Amazons was best when they were as far away from adults as possible. Battling Uncle Jim / Captain Flint for his houseboat was one thing - going on a sea voyage with him in charge was quite another.

Re-reading the series as an adult, however, I see this in a whole new perspective. Simply put the actual story, and the story-telling, racks amongst the highest in the series. The scope of the book, running from the mouth of the broads which we come to love later in the series, right down to Crab Island in the Caribbean is wonderful. The intrigue and adventure is at a higher level to match too.

Arthur Ransome is one of the story tellers who believes in dealing with "bad people" head on - and in this tale, Black Jake and his crew are really some of the most despicable characters in children's literature. We always hope they will meet a sticky end. However, the writing is a little out of date now in terms of some derogatory words used for black people and Spaniards. I believe such language can be used as an important educational tool to explain why we no longer use these words (it should be noted that it is the rough characters that use these terms).

The book never comments on this as being "fictional". Of course they are all fictional tales, but this is fiction within fiction because we find out in other books that this was a tale made up by everyone. However, it is still written very realisitically and anyone with a love for sailing will find the chapters about the setup of the boat or the sailing down the North Sea and the English Channel wonderful.

Peter Duck
It's the best book i've ever read! Everyone must read it! ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Not my favorite S&A, but...
..not at all bad. SECRET WATER finds our heroes & heroines very much in the process of Growing Up, with the inevitable tensions that late adolescence brings. Here we find the Swallows grimly determined to carry out a mapping task that their father has set them, and confronting the Amazons, who would rather ally themselves with local children who have their own "game" of tribal warfare among the marshes of the East Coast. There is a lot of good stuff here & some high adventure, and the book reads very "true" to the series. My daughter Clare regards it as one of the best, and I doubt that anyone will be disappointed with either the plot or the outcome.

Secret Water
Secret Water is a great book!!! I'm a 10 year old boy and I love it. My favorite part is when they gather with their savage friends and have a big feast. Anybody would like it just as much as I did.

An unassuming little gem
After the excitement of "We Didn't Mean To Go To Sea", Arthur Ransome's eighth story in the Swallows and Amazons series returns to more comfortable and comforting territory. Set very shortly after the children's ordeal at sea in the previous volume, "Secret Water" finds the Walker children "marooned" on an island in the tidal area of Hamford Water, Essex. Here they spend a week or so, camping and surveying the low-lying islands, tortuous channels and tidal flats, whilst also having to deal with the quandary of whether to make friends with (or wage war upon) the local savage tribesmen. Once, of course, the small matter of one of their number being taken for a human sacrifice has been resolved!

This story is something of an attempt to return to the simple style of tale that worked so well with both "Swallows and Amazons" and "Swallowdale": a tale of children building a world of their own creation and at the same time learning to deal successfully with the real world in which they find themselves. After some of the more exciting later volumes in the S&A series, though, some readers may find the results just a little flat.

As always, though, Ransome weaves his tale through the deftest handling of prose and most adults at least should find this tale as charming as any the others in the series. It is nice, too, to see that the young Bridget is now able to start participating in the activities of her siblings.

Great family values
Naval Commander Walker, with the complete cooperation of his wife, their mother, maroons his five children on a tidal island on the coast of England. Of course, the children, ranging from the eldest, John, to the youngest, Bridget, are even more enthusiastic than their parents. It's summer vacation time again and the family is looking forward to a time camping and exploring the island. Then Commander Walker's bosses, the Lords of the Admiralty, decree his presence is required in London. All is gloom until Walker persuades his wife that these kids have demonstrated their responsibility and can be left alone for a time.

This is the eighth in an excellent sailing/adventure/camping series from this author. Like the others, Secret Water, is a careful chronicle of the Walker children's adventures. Along the way readers are treated to practical advice about camping, sailing, and dealing with tides and mud. This book also introduces new characters and reunites the Swallows and The Amazons. All of it is impeccably written with style, verve, great pace, a mystery or two and the sensitivity of the author to the attitudes and perceptions of children of various ages. This is a book that can be read by children of every age.

A bonus is the large number of pen and ink illustrations, done by the author.

The series that begins with Swallows and Amazons
Arthur Ransome¹s books are the perfect evocation of a British childhood between the wars.Set, to begin with, in the Lake District of England they follow the adventures of the Amazon pirates, Nancy and Peggy and the Walker children; John, Susan, Titty (presumably Letitia, we are never told) and Roger as they fight wars, endure hardships, discover treasure and force the hapless Captain Flint to walk the plank. Though quite old now, these books will never be dated because they talk to children in their own language, the language of desperate acts and dashed hopes, unexpected reversals and stunning victories. These pages are crammed with the joy of summer holidays, far from the drudgery of school and the unwanted solicitousness of anxious parents.Later in the series the action moves from the Lake District to the Fens, to Scotland, to the Caribbean and even to pre-Communist China. Throughout the series Arthur Ransome manages to introduce wildly diverse characters without ever losing the original threads that make these books so entertaining. If you buy nothing else for your eight year old reader this year, start him or her on this series with Swallows and Amazons ... Read more

Reviews (7)

The ultimate volume of theseries
This was the first of Ransome's "Swallows & Amazons" series that I ever read, and it's still my favorite. We find the Swallows (the four Walkers), the Amazons (Captain Nancy Blackett and sister-Mate Peggy), and the D's (Dick and Dorothea Callum) headquartering at Beckfoot, the old Blackett house, while impatiently waiting for Captain Flint (the Amazons' Uncle Jim) to return from South America. "His mine wasn't any good," says Nancy, and she decides to fill in the time by searching for gold up on the high fells above the lake, following hints given by Slater Bob, a local miner. Complicating the program is the distance from Beckfoot to the target area and the fact that the Lake Country is seeing its driest summer in memory--and the presence of the mysterious lanky man the explorers call "Squashy Hat," who seems to be looking for the same thing they are. The book takes its title from the three homing pigeons the Blacketts own and resolve to use to keep Mrs. Blackett informed of their adventures while they camp nearer to the moors. The countryside is splendidly drawn, the children are unique individuals well sketched, their adventures and inventions are so thoroughly described that an American child could probably duplicate them, and there are thrills galore when the fells catch fire. What's more, the eight actually find...but that would be telling! Read it for yourself and find out.

Like most children's books of its period, this one is equally enjoyable by adults and would make a splendid family read-aloud. Highly recommended.

A book to fire the imagination of children of all ages
In this sixth 'S & A' adventure, summer has come once more, and the Swallows are back in the Lake District, together with the two D's, on another holiday with their boating friends, the Amazon pirates. This time, the children desert the lake and take instead to the High Topps, prospecting for gold.

While adult readers will be unable to do other than admire the children's enthusiasm (sufficiently infectious to draw most young readers into it wholesale), they will probably have a feeling of impending disaster from quite early on, in this book. The Amazons' impetuous natures, combined with the others' general inexperience and limited knowledge of mining and its chemistry, lead them all (except, perhaps, the more sensible Susan!) into more scrapes, as well as rather more dangerous situations, than usual.

This leads to a different (but no less absorbing) desire to keep reading this tale than that likely to affect the more naïve younger reader. Both young and old are, nevertheless, likely to spend much of the time on tenterhooks during this book, as the young prospectors explore old mine workings, try their hand at charcoal burning and build and operate a blast furnace in their camp, out on the tinder-dry fells! For once, one can only feel something of a sense of relief that times have changed since 1936, when this was written! One can't help feeling - and being grateful for the fact - that modern children would not be terribly interested in repeating some of the activities undertaken here.

In summary, then, "Pigeon Post" is every bit as exciting (and at times far more nerve-wracking) and educational as the other books in this series: another winner from Arthur Ransome.

Swallows and Amazons at their best!
Undoubtedly the best of Arthur Ransome's 10 book Swallows and Amazons series. Suspense, intruige and natural disasters keep children and adults alike on their toes throughout. The plausibility of the story adds an exciting dimension to the plot. Ransome's superb ability to develop distinct personalities for his characters is one of the most enjoyable aspects of his writing, and Pigeon Post is perhaps his best example of this.

8 children go searching for gold, but they have competition
The Swallows, Amazons and D's have regrouped and are now looking for gold in the high hills west of Mrs. Blackett's farm. But with the drought drying up all the water from possible camp sites, fires occuring all the time and a rival gold miner on the high hills it isn't going to be easy. Another masterpeice from Authur Ransome and I recommend it for any child who's dreamed of having adventures.

Superb book for adventurous kids everywhere.
I read this fun book to my seven year old and had to restrain from reading ahead and finishing it on my own. The level of adventure and imagination the children in the book get into is inspiring for our children and us grown-ups alike. A good choice for any elementary aged child's library ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (8)

Adventure and charm!
The Swallows return to their favorite lake a year later, but things have changed slightly...the Amazons are dealing with a visit from a tyrannical great-aunt and can't go sailing with them! While sailing about on their own, the Swallows' boat experiences a wreck and their sailing adventures on the lake are in danger.

This book continues the adventures of the brave kids we first met in SWALLOWS AND AMAZONS, only they're a year older and a little nervier. The books' descriptions of camping and exploring are fun, fun, fun; I remember doing similar things as a child. The story also gives some good lessons to kids, although not in a preachy fashion...we see the importance of being calm in a crisis, and how an otherwise bad situation can be turned into a positive experience. Also, the boat-race scene at the end has a great scene of good sportsmanship, as the losers enthusiastically and sincerely congratulate the winners and compliment them on their sailing. And, as present in SWALLOWS AND AMAZONS, there is the element of using one's imagination.

The mountain-climbing scenes are good, with an unexpectedly poignant moment at the summit. The lost-in-the-fog scenes are actually quite atmospheric and memorable.

The book's main problem is that it is rather dated, but for some readers, that's part of the charm. The great-aunt's insistance on Victorian-era manners may not click too much with modern readers, although they'll probably be able to think of their elders who they see as being too old-fashioned. The book takes place in a circa 1930 England, when charcoal-burners and horse-drawn wagons were still commonplace in rural areas; some might find the setting too alien, while others may become absorbed into it.

Despite those few flaws, this is still a 5-star book in my view. Great for parents and children, and a great inspiration for outdoor adventures.

Note: This book makes references to an imaginary character, "Peter Duck," who was the subject of a sort of collective fairy tale that the group made up over the winter holiday. That story is told in the next book in the series, PETER DUCK.

Peril and adventure on the Lakes
One year after the events of "Swallows and Amazons," the four Walkers return to the Lake to spend the summer holidays, looking forward to more thrilling adventures with the Blackett sisters and their uncle, Captain Flint. To their dismay, they discover that the Blacketts' Great-Aunt--a strait-laced and somewhat tyrannical person who brought their mother and uncle up--is staying at Beckfoot and badly cramping the two pirates' style. And then the Walkers' boat "Swallow" is wrecked on the far side of the lake, forcing them to find a new camp. In dealing with these challenges the six show their mettle once again--and even manage to get away for an overnight climb of Kanchenjunga, as they christen the tallest of the nearby hills. Along the way Roger and Titty get lost when a sea-fog rolls in over the moors, and the outwitting of Great-Aunt Maria furnishes a fair share of suspense. Once again Ransome tells his tale without talking down, seeming to assume a child's viewpoint with an ease matched by few writers. Another excellent family read-aloud that should be owned by every household even if they don't care for boats or camping.

An Outstanding Adventure story for any age!
Small boat or dinghy sailing, camping out, excitement, nice people and strong writing: what more could a reader ask for? I first read this book at the home of a boyhood friend about ten years after it was originally published, and I count the series (this is the second of 12) as responsible for my lifelong interest in camping and sailing. More than half a century later, I acquired a set and found to my absolute delight that they read as well and are as powerfully satisfying as ever.

Here, within the covers of a very well-written book, you'll find a group of charming children and a few adults, spanning a wide range of ages and character types. Swallowdale is by turns funny, thoughtful, insightful and so well written it is a distinct pleasure for readers of any age.

Did I mention the writing? It's better written than most current novels.

More an equal than a sequel!
"Swallowdale" continues very much where its predecessor, "Swallows and Amazons", leaves off, with the Walker children returning to "that remote lake in the north of England" one year after the events of the first book and looking forward to another couple of weeks of fun, sailing with their friends, the Amazon pirates. Plans quickly begin to go awry, however, and Ransome turns events away from the anticipated activity of sailing on the lake to an altogether different sort of fun, as the children take off camping and exploring in the surrounding fells and mountains.

The book has all of the fine qualities that make its predecessor such an excellent read for children (and adults) of all ages. Ransome's prose is a delight throughout, his characters engaging and the events that befall the children entirely believable. As in all of the other books of this series, simple pen and ink drawings by the author add considerably to the enjoyment. If only the world (and the Lake District!) was still like this!

Incidentally, although this was the second of Arthur Ransome's "Swallows and Amazon" books to be published, it is best read after the third volume, "Peter Duck", because it is set chronologically after the events of that book, and makes occasional back reference to it. You will enjoy "Peter Duck" much more if you read it BEFORE you read "Swallowdale". And if you enjoyed "Swallows and Amazons" you will certainly enjoy this.

We were enthralled
This was the second book in the series that we read. After the first I did not think it could get better, but I was wrong. We were shocked when their boat sunk, but they seemed to do as well on land as they did on water. My kids will do their chores and finish their homework as long as I read this to them each evening. To me that is quite impressive. Now we are reading Peter Duck... ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Perhaps my favorite in the series
It's hard to pick a favorite -- all the Swallows and Amazon books are good, and I'm sure everybody has their own favorite -- but I particularly like the character of the Great Aunt in this book. She is so...PROPER and so...INTIMIDATING, and the interactions the other characters have with her make for a good story. There is plenty of intrigue, plenty of almost-crisis, plenty of devious scheming by Nancy & crew to subvert the tyranny of the Great Aunt so they can achieve their own goals. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Lovely, albeit dated, book
I love the whole Swallows and Amazons series, but somehow I read Missee Lee only once -- perhaps it got lost from the library or something. So I had the pleasure of rediscovering it a few years ago when my kids were the right age for it. It's a wonderful "reading aloud" book (as are "We didn't mean to go to sea" and "Great Northern"), with a strong female character -- unusual in children's books from 65 years ago! -- and terrific storytelling and pacing.

(Some of) the Chinese in this book come off as crafty, selfish, barbaric, etc. That's quite intentional -- their characters are supposed to be crafty, selfish, or barbaric. Because we see them only through the eyes of the English, they tend to be a bit one-dimensional as well. Probably some people out there is saying that this book is politically incorrect; if so, I urge them to tell their children not to read it. (The children will, of course, promptly read it!)

In the meantime, enjoy this with your family.

Twenty-two gong tale belong velly well all ages bimeby
Subtitled "Swallows and Amazons in the South China Seas", this tenth volume in Arthur Ransome's Swallows and Amazons series is actually a sequel to the second, "Peter Duck". Those readers familiar with the background to the earlier volume will not be surprised to learn that the emphasis within this book is on rather wild and exotic high-seas adventuring for a group of six English school children, together with their middle-aged uncle, a parrot and a mischievous monkey, aboard their schooner, Wild Cat.

This time around, the crew of the Wild Cat (without Peter Duck) again find themselves face to face with pirates, although under somewhat different circumstances and of a rather different kind from those in their earlier adventure. They also face a fate that English schoolchildren probably once considered worse than death - a life of perpetual Latin lessons!

Anyone coming to this book without the benefit of at least the first three volumes of the series ("Swallows and Amazons", "Peter Duck" and "Swallowdale") may struggle a little with just who people are and why things are the way they are, so I don't recommend diving straight into the series here! If you've read the first three books, though, there is absolutely no need to leave this one until its place in the published sequence, as it does not tie into any of the intervening volumes. Anyone familiar with the earlier books will know exactly what to expect here; nor will they be disappointed. Whilst aimed at children, the book remains a delightful read whatever one's age.

A must have for the series collector
If you collect the Swallows and Amazons series, you simply must have this book in your collection. If, on the other hand, you are just someone looking for a good book, well...this is a GREAT book. It is a classic that both children and adults will love and enjoy many times over.
Arthur Ransome is one of the greatest authors ever to live, and his books reflect that fact. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Thrills galore on the Norfolk Broads
In this book Ransome focuses on the two most recently introduced members of his juvenile cast, Dick and Dorothea Callum, who are sent to spend part of their Easter holidays with Mrs. Barrable, their mother's old schoolmistress, along the rivers of the Norfolk wetlands. Eager to learn to sail so they can take part in the adventures planned for the lake next summer, their spirits plummet when they learn that Mrs. Barrable "can't sail her boat by herself" and plans to use it only as a houseboat. Unexpected salvation occurs in the form of Tom Dudgeon, son of a local doctor, who finds himself a fugitive after setting a motor-cruiser adrift to protect a coot's nest being observed by himself and his five friends (Port and Starboard, the twin girls who live near the Dudgeons, and the Death and Glories, Joe, Pete, and Bill). Seeking shelter from the outraged motorboaters aboard Mrs. Barrable's rented craft, he meets the trio and finds instant common ground, and quickly agrees to serve as Captain and teach the Callums "the ropes." Though there's less imaginative play in this book than in the rest of the series, it still features Ransome's splendid insight into juvenile minds and character, plus loving description of the countryside and a strong consciousness of the environment that must have been unusual in the 1930's. Though this volume will never be my favorite of the series--somehow things are never so lively without Captain Nancy Blackett on board!--it succeeds on its own terms and will be a pleasant change of pace for families reading aloud in sequence.

An exciting children's boating adventure
This is the fifth of Arthur Ransome's "Swallows and Amazons" tales, although, in fact, it features not a single member of either the Swallows or the Amazons. Nor, indeed, is it set anywhere near the English Lake District. Instead, it describes the Norfolk Broads boating adventures of the two D's (first introduced to the reader in the previous book, "Winter Holiday").

The tale is set in the children's Easter holidays, just a few months after the events of the preceding book. In it, Dick and Dorothea are anxious to learn the rudiments of sailing so that they can take a more active part in the fun when they next meet up with the Swallows and Amazons. Dick is also keen to do some bird watching. It is almost inevitable, therefore, that soon after arriving in Norfolk, they find therefore themselves tangled in up in (and helping out with) the troubles of the Coot Club - a group of local (boat-mad) children dedicated to the protection of the Broads' unique bird population.

Ransome loved the Norfolk Broads with a passion that possibly even exceeded his love of the Lake District. In this book, he paints a portrait of Norfolk, its waterways and the people who live on or by them, making plain his love for this unique environment and its way of life. The story centres on his concerns over their continuing destruction through ever-increasing tourism (and the increasingly thoughtless actions of its visitors), a major problem even 65 years ago. (It is far worse now, of course!) Unlike his Lake District stories, this one uses the real names of the places that feature in it and revels in describing them. Indeed, the book reads almost like a guidebook at times, although you barely notice this, for it is never anything less that engaging in its content. As always, Ransome combines both narrative and instructive content with consummate ease, tempered here with an excitement to the events that unfold. He weaves a tale that is as enthralling and captivating as ever, that will appeal to lovers of good tales whatever their age. The author's own pen-and-ink drawings are as charming as ever, too.

This is one of the few Swallows and Amazons books that can be read earlier in the sequence than it appears (if you really must) without major detriment to either itself or the earlier stories (except, perhaps "Winter Holiday"). You do need to have read it before most of the ones that follow it, however, as the events described here feature heavily in later ones.

Birds and Boating
Another great S & A classic, this time dealing with nature conservation. When Tom sets a noisy boat loose from its moorings in order to save a nest of Coot eggs, whose parents have been frightened off by the boat, he knows there will be trouble if the occupants catch sight of him, but not how much. A wonderful tale of boating on the Norfolk Broads with Ransome's usual blend of adventure and imagined adventure.

A lovely, refreshing tale.
Like all Arthur ransome's immortal Swallows and Amazons series, a lovely and timeless work. Set in England's Norfolk Broads, it transports one to a better and sunnier world - adventure, sailing, great fun - who could ask for more? ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Proving that fun isn't limited to summer
It's been a year and a half since the Walkers (the Swallows) first met the Blackett sisters (the Amazons) and were plunged into Captain Nancy's adventurous worldview (not that they didn't have one of their own already). Now, for the first time, we see the six from an outside view--though still that of young people: Dick Callum, astronomy buff, and his sister Dorothea ("Dot"), aspiring novelist, are staying at the lake while their parents are off digging in Egypt over the Christmas holidays, and are caught up in the adventures of the senior group when they attempt to "signal to Mars" by night. The Walkers and Blacketts, inspired by the coldest winter the lake has experienced in living memory, are training for an expedition to the North Pole (the far upper end of the lake), "only the beastly Arctic won't freeze." Quite unexpectedly Captain Nancy saves the day by coming down with mumps, which requires all the others to be kept out of school for a month lest they spread the contagion. The Blacketts' uncle Captain Flint reappears too, playing a pivotal role in the expedition's preparations. Much of the story is told from the viewpoint of the ever-imaginitive Dorothea, whose writer's mind puts a unique spin on what she sees. As always there are misunderstandings with the "natives" (local adults, rechristened Eskimos for purposes of the season), and a literally chilling sequence during which the Callums are blown to the Pole by a sudden blizzard. Ransome here proves that it doesn't have to be summer for his Lake Country to provide plenty of good story fodder, and in the process gives us a unique children's adventure tale that should be as eagerly welcomed as a read-aloud as any of the others in the series. Not to be missed.

exciting adventure
There I was just browsing at a store, and just happened to glance at this particular color of this book...and picked it up read the cover and fell in to the illustration, and the breif excerpts on the back cover... I am just so excited over the wanting and longing to snuggle up with my children and read this to them, but not to them...really, but to read for myself...this is going to be a start of something big... I also went researching for Mr.Arthur Ransomes books, and found web sites leading to history and all the good things that come with a curious mind, that wants to discover...where did all those adorable children who seem to live in a perfect world, live, whom were pictured on the cover of "Winter Holiday"... This is a "National Geographic" for children of all ages... I cannot wait for a more perfect day to begin reading this, as the house doesn't have to be clean, nor the dishes washed, maybe this is the perfect front porch with lemonade, book... Best regards on your adventure through "Winter Holiday"

Best Arctic Adventure since Shackleton
The novelist and bookish scientist round out the cast of pirates and adventurers. Any child will find herself playing one of these remarkable friends, and requiring her parents to say "ay-aye, sir". (A grown-up, of course will identify with and emulate Captain Flint, or one of the other natives.)

My 4+ year-old (Mate Susan) will not tolerate other bedtime stories; unfortunately I cannot put it down, and always read a few chapters ahead after she is asleep. This ruins the suspense for me the next night...

Wonderful children's winter adventure
"Winter Holiday" is the fourth volume of the "Swallows and Amazons" series. It features the same Lake District setting as the first two but this time, we encounter the lake and its environs in the depths of winter, rather than summer. The book also introduces two new members to the 'gang': the D's. Indeed, the story concentrates more on the newcomers' activities, as they first meet and befriend - and then try their utmost to keep up with - the more experienced (and world-wise) Swallows and Amazons.

Once again, Ransome allows the children's views of the world to dominate over the grown-up, outsider's view. Amongst other inventions, an old barn becomes a signalling station for communicating with Mars; the lower fells the wastes of High Greenland; and the frozen lake a training ground for an expedition to the North Pole.

This is one of the very best of the S&A stories. It combines all of the fine features of the earlier volumes - beautifully simple (and yet never condescendingly simplified) prose, enchanting line drawings and an espousing of honest and open values - with an elegantly crafted plot and some moments of true excitement. It also has some cleverly disguised educational content, in the form of lessons in field communications techniques. (And the dangers of misinterpretation that can result from their use!) As usual, Ransome knows precisely how to build the excitement as the tale progresses. From simple beginnings, the book gradually becomes more and more riveting reading, until it is almost impossible to put the book down.

It is lovely, too, to see how much the Walker children's characters - as well as their relationships with each other -have developed since the earlier volumes. Seeing them from the perspective of the newcomers makes one realise how much they have grown (and come to function as a team) in the 18 months since the first book!

The world was a simpler place when this book was written (1933) and, sadly, the events portrayed within it just could not happen nowadays. But children of all ages can still enjoy tales such as this, to feed their own imaginations and help them to grow into the world as it now is. Who knows? It may yet help lead the world back to times as honest as these.

Enchanting. A great adventure book with boys AND girls
I was introduced to Swallows & Amazons by my father more than 30 years ago, so I approached the series with some trepidation when my 6 year old demanded "boat stuff" to be read to her, afraid that S&A might not have aged well. I shouldn't have worried, Clare is totally enthralled with the books (we are on number 5 & the enthusiasm shows no signs of waning). While some children may find reading to themselves too much until they are 9 or 10, Clare at 6 has no problem following the plots, identifying with the characters, and generally having a good time. I might add that it is also nice having some great female heroine/role models plus some nice male types as well. I recommend the series without reservation ... Read more

Reviews (6)

No plain sailing but a great read nevertheless!
Arthur Ransome's seventh "Swallows and Amazons" adventure is set not long after the action of "Pigeon Post". The action occurs, this time, in the south of England, rather than in the Lake District, and with just the Swallows alone. They are passing the time on the Rivers Orwell and Stour, while waiting to meet up with their father - due, at any time, on leave from his overseas posting with the Royal Navy.

What starts out as a few days quiet sailing, though, quickly turns into something rather more frightening, with the children suddenly drawn into a terrifying and completely unexpected adventure, when they find themselves and their (borrowed) boat being swept out to sea by a fierce tide. For once, the Swallows face a very real and serious danger that is to test their combined courage, fortitude and seamanship to the utmost. It is fascinating (for grown-up readers, at least) to see each of the children's highly individual (and completely characteristic) reactions to their predicament. Younger readers, of course, are more likely just to be carried away by the pure nail-biting suspense of it all!

While this is a gripping and enthralling tale throughout, the tensions (arising from the danger and the worries of the older children) are lightened for the reader by the pure infectious glee of the younger pair. They, of course, are less aware of the seriousness of their predicament - especially Roger, who, as usual, is perfectly content so long as there is plenty of food around - and rather enjoy themselves!

As in all of the "Swallows and Amazons" books, Ransome's story-telling abilities are second to none, here. The narrative is at all times feasible and this book is a completely absorbing read for young and old alike. This is an inspired and an inspiring tale. Readers who have worked their way through the earlier volumes will also not be disappointed when they finally do get to meet Daddy in this volume!

At Sea But Not "All At Sea"...
Of all the "Swallows & Amazons" books, this is the most compelling read -- it doesn't share the laid-back mood of most of the others, and the Walker children are in real danger, which is unusual for the series (the nearest to such would be the "Israelites" sequence {in "Secret Water"} or in "Pigeon Post" {in the "Moles" or the fire sequence} all of which are important but limited parts of the books).

Visiting aboard the "Goblin", the yacht of a young man they had recently met, they find themselves adrift in a fog, swept helplessly out into the North Sea as they drag (and lose) anchor, and then running before a full North Sea gale, with no idea where they are or where they are headed, and no certainty that they will not find themselves sinking on shoals or run down by much larger ships (In a particularly tense and thrilling sequence, just that almost happens, averted at the last instant by ingenuity and level-headedness on the part of Captain John.).

Facing the dangers they discover, drawing on their experience in sailing much smaller boats and on their own courage and common sense, they succeed in keeping themselves and the "Goblin" from harm, and even succeed in a mid-sea "rescue".

And, in the course of the adventure, John Walker (somewhere in his late teens, if i calculate aright) makes a major part of the step from boy to young man, learning valuable lessons about himself and what he is capable of, and keeping himself and his sisters and brother safe through the long, stormy night.

This is children's adventure at its best, with action, comedy, thrills and danger enough to satisfy almost any taste, but no violence, gratutitous or otherwise.

THE ABSOLUTE BEST
I have read all the SWALLOWS AND AMAZONS books several times since I was ten. Now I'm fifteen and they are still among my favorite books. I DIDN'T MEAN TO GO TO SEA is my favorite of them all. The Swallows are all of a sudden in a very precarious situation - How do we survive this? They are in a small schooner in a big storm at night on the North Sea. John must use all his seamanship to get them across to Holland. It is an awesome adventure against the sea and all the problems that arise every two seconds. Its not a book you can put down easily. I guarentee you'll love it.

The best of the S&A books, I think
The "Swallows and Amazons" books are a variable bunch. They range from "The games we played on our holidays" (Swallows and Amazons, Swallowdale, etc.) to "The stories we made up about ourselves" (Peter Duck, Missee Lee). Even in the straightforward sailing stories the children's imaginations turn Lakeland fells into Darien Peak, casting an air of unreality and whimsy over the narrative that some readers like and others find irritating.

We Didn't Mean To Go To Sea is different. The Walker children find themselves in real danger when, through a mixture of bad luck and a crucial mistake, they are swept out into the hostile North Sea in a small cutter, the Goblin, which they have hardly sailed before. There's fog and a storm-force gale building up. Can they save the ship, and themselves, purely on their own experience of dinghy sailing and their own guts and determination?

Of course they can. But it isn't easy. The core of this exciting story is the overnight transformation of John Walker from boy to adult. He takes responsibility for the ship and his brothers and sisters, takes difficult decisions and sticks with them through an extremely hairy night at sea.

There is little artificiality to most of the narrative. Everything that happens - until they reach Holland, that is - springs naturally from the situation the children find themselves in. The story's only flaw - and it's a serious one - is the deus ex machina springing of Commander Walker, their father, out of practically nowhere to take them home again. From the moment he jumps from the Flushing-Harwich ferry, the gripping realism of the story evaporates.

If you love the sea and sailing, if a tale of courage winning through appeals to you, then read this book. It's a classic and, in this reader's opinion, the best of the Swallows and Amazons series; an opinion I formed 34 years ago and see no reason to alter now.

an excellant adventure story for people young and old.
"We Didn't Mean To Go To Sea" is the story of four children who spend the holidays on board a boat, on the condition that they do no sailing except around the harbour. When a storm blows up, and the owner of the boat has disappeared, the children do their best to sail the boat. Then, disaster strikes, and the children are left to go wherever the sea wills them. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Detective work on the Norfolk Broads
The other group of children that Arthur Ransome created, the Death or Glories and Tom Dudgeon, Port and Starboard, collectively known as the Coot Club are here embroiled in another adventure. Accompanied by the Ds, whom avid readers will know from earlier AR books, they turn detective and track down the villians who are casting off boats on the Norfolk Broads. As usual Arthur Ransome was writing in a class of his own. A note of caution: don't imagine that Norfolk and the surrounding countryside, especially Lowestoft, bears any resemblance to the places described in these books. The last two thirds of the 20th century were not kind to our poor old country and nowhere is this more starkly illustrated than in our seaside towns. Read the book instead and dream of life before the car was king.

A cracking detective yarn for kids everywhere
"Big Six" is Arthur Ransome's ninth book in the Swallows and Amazons series. It features neither Swallows nor Amazons but rather follows once more the adventures of the two D's and their friends of the Coot Club on the Norfolk Broads. In this story, some members of the Coot Club happen to have been in the wrong place at the wrong time and suddenly find themselves accused of certain misdeeds. Unfortunately, the allegations hanging over them are serious enough to threaten the very future of the club unless the true miscreants can be discovered and exposed. So, rather than spending their time sailing or engaged in acts of bird preservation, the Coot Club has no choice but to turn into a detective agency instead, determined to clear the name and restore the reputations of their friends.

The central plot aside, Ransome still finds ways within this story to involve the children in many typical pre-war Norfolk Broads' activities and introduce us to some wonderful Norfolk characters. Indeed, throughout this book, he manages to paint a vivid picture of life on the Broads in a by-gone era; all using language and a writing style that should appeal to both children and grown-ups alike. As usual, the story is presented with intelligence, charm and wit, as well as with an overriding humility and an obvious love for the places and people of whom he writes.

Some episodes in this book (especially the smoking of the eels) will have most adults crying with laughter, while for the majority of younger readers the excitement of the detective story will undoubtedly be the overridingly memorable element. Ultimately, though, it is the author's heart-warming respect for children and the way they see the world around them that shines through and makes this book so enjoyable for readers of all ages.

Ransome scores again
Ransome has done it again, doing a fabulous job of describing the escapades of the ship Swallow and the ship Amazon. I recommend this book to all those in love with the sea, or in love with a good story!

Life the way it ought to be lived by 8-14 year olds
You don't have to have ever visited to Norfolk Broads. You don't even have to be 12. Ransome's brilliant writing will take you there; to a place and to a time when children were still real children and lived and enjoyed their own special kind of pre-adult life. The plot, the characters, the dialogue, the drawings and Ransome's un-put-downable storytelling make The Big Six an evocation of life in an innocent Britain before the age of saturated tv and computer games when children sailed boats, took risks, had adventures- and most of all - had fun.

A Great detective Story
An outstanding example of Ransome's work. A wonderful childern's book that is woth reading at any age. Teaches you a lesson about sticking to it. Three boys are thought to be casting off boats in a small English village. They are implicated by everyone in town. They do not give up, but become detectives to extricate themselves. In an ingenious and evolving plot they manage to catch the real perpetrators. The night time ending is as exiciting as anything. Whether you read it once or a 100 times you'll love it ... Read more

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Reviews (2)

Ah, the culture of it
This is a fantastic collection of stories that have been a part of the Russian culture for centuries. Anyone growing up in Russia has heard these stories, and now so can you! Kids will appreciate the characters and adventures. Parents will appreciate the values and lessons. Everyone will appreciate the timeless tales of fantasy, magic, and talking animals.

A lot of "read" for the penny!
This is a fine introduction to popular Russian fairy tales, including the story of the little snow girl (a childless couple builds a daughter out of snow) and "Frost" (cruel stepmother sends girl out to freeze in the snow, but Frost sees her kindness and spares her-- the nasty stepsisters are not so lucky). The similarity between some of the Russian tales and our own English fairy tales is interesting (why is the stepmother always the evil one?). This introductory collection leaves one wanting to learn more Russian tales. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Imaginative Tales for Kids
This was the first storybook that was ever read to me. TheBook tells the story of an uncle that lives in the chill of Russia during the winter with his nephews. As days go by, he starts telling stories to them ...

Thesestories, are perfect for children ages 10 and up. They arewritten prettymuch as fables, all of them having some kind of insight as to how peopleare. No violence is included in the text, though some is meant to beunderstood, as in Little Red Riding Hood.

Do get this book. Read it outloud to your young and see their reaction. ... Read more

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