'Swallows and Amazons for ever!' Rediscover this classic tale of adventure. The Walker children - also known as Captain John, Mate Susan, Able-Seaman Titty, and Ship's Boy Roger - set sail on the Swallow and head for Wild Cat Island. There they camp under open skies, swim in clear water and go fishing for their dinner. But their days are disturbed by the Blackett sisters, the fierce Amazon pirates. The Swallows and Amazons decide to battle it out, and so begins a summer of unforgettable discoveries and incredible ...
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'Swallows and Amazons for ever!' Rediscover this classic tale of adventure. The Walker children - also known as Captain John, Mate Susan, Able-Seaman Titty, and Ship's Boy Roger - set sail on the Swallow and head for Wild Cat Island. There they camp under open skies, swim in clear water and go fishing for their dinner. But their days are disturbed by the Blackett sisters, the fierce Amazon pirates. The Swallows and Amazons decide to battle it out, and so begins a summer of unforgettable discoveries and incredible adventures. EXTRA ACTIVITIES INCLUDED: Crack the Swallow's code and learn all about the adventurous author in the brilliant extra educational resources included in this edition.
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Fine - good service & price - what else can I say?
WHRupp
Apr 3, 2007
Just as good years later
Recently my wife read my daughter "The Ballet Shoes". That not being on my reading list as a boy, I looked it up on the net. One review commented that "Ballet Shoes" was a unique book because the children worked for a living in it and didn't 'merely said boats' (I'm paraphrasing the words but not the meaning). Obviously, the reviewer was taking a jab at Ransome's wonderful series of stories about the Walkers, the Blacketts, and their friends and the sailing adventures they all had. These books hold an unassailable place in my memory of my childhood and inspired me to learn to sail at a very young age. Nevertheless, as a parent, I've been less than impressed when I've re-visited some stories by reading them to my daughter (the Narnia series, for instance, holds no delight for me as an adult as it did for me as a child). I am happy to report that Swallows and Amazons offered no such disappointment; I am as happy to read them now as I was to listen to them read to me as a child. Even more wonderful is my daughter's positive reaction to them. Swallows and Amazons is an uncomplicated tale of children having fun on vacation. They live very real lives for the rest of the year, but for a glorious two weeks they are explorers, adventures, pirates, and treasure hunters. Ransome has created a story that is wonderfully told from the perspective of protagonists ages 7-12 that maintains both a firm grasp on the possibilities of the real world and a detailed understanding of how children operate in that world. The crews of the ships Swallow and Amazon are hard working, smart without being unrealistic, and fun kids. They are excellent role models without being too easily classified as such. The stories offer good fun, but also some ambiguity over actions and do pose some real questions for young readers to think about. Some of the language and underlying ideas are a little dated, it is true, but Ransome's fidelity to the ideal of childhood and his genuine openmindedness makes this book, and its followers, delights. I look forward to reading the rest of the series with my daughter and seeing if the others hold up as well as Swallows and Amazons has.
