An adventure that is within the bounds of possibility for any child and is, therefore, utterly engaging. Although the story is firmly grounded in a post-Great War nostalgia, it is also timeless. ( )

I discovered SWALLOWS AND AMAZONS as a child of twelve and was thoroughly delighted. I cannot imagine why this classic series has not achieved the same status in the United States. This first volume in the series follows the children of the Swallow family as they summer in the English lake country. The story charts their adventures as they sail, camp, discover nature around them interact with each other and two girls from a houseboat (the Amazons). It is a lovely wistful book that evokes the grandeur of childhood games in nature. In the background of the story is a faint hint of the World War (the Swallows’ father is in the Navy) but the sense that the children are being sheltered from adult concerns but that only heightens the loveliness of their childhood lives.

Budding anglophile children who love the English details of the Harry Potter books or the Narnia Chronicles should love the depiction of these children. (Although there is no magic in Ransome’s series of books other than the ordinary magic of childhood.) It would also be an excellent choice for children who love nature or are learning to sail. The illustrations are charming and in some of the books the boats are quite detailed. ( )

I really can't give this book a lower star rating - it was one of my favorites as a kid. My boys didn't love it quite as much as I did (needed to be funnier with more swords to suit both) but they did enjoy it a great deal and my eldest wanted me to pick up the pick one for him. ( )

I really think that I should try out some of the things in this book.I really love it, and in some parts it's funny! My favorite character is Roger. ( )

Swallows and Amazons is the first in a series of children's books that take place in England's Lake District during the time between the wars.

The Walker children, their mother, and their nurse are on holiday while their father is onboard a British Navy vessel somewhere in Asia. John, Susan, Titty, and Roger have the parents we all wish we had: They let the kids sail to an island in the lake, set up camp, and live there for the entire vacation. As temporary owners of the small sailboat Swallow, the children make it their task to explore and map the world as they see it from the lake. Mother, the local farmers and storekeepers, and the charcoal burners are all natives, and Captain John and his crew get to know the tolerant local community.

All is not tranquil on Wild Cat Island, however. First there is the mysterious behavior of the retired pirate who lives on a houseboat in a nearby bay. Then there is the surprise attack by Nancy and Peggy Blackett, the owners of the ship Amazon. The captains of the two boats must decide whether to be friends or foes and what to do about Captain Flint, the houseboat man.

The Walker and Blackett children are given an amazing amount of freedom and use that gift to its fullest. They are adventuresome, curious, imaginative, and mischievous. Oh to be able to spend weeks on end sailing and camping and exploring. Even though Ransome was writing in the 1930s, the girls and women he created are strong and capable: good swimmers, good sailors, smart, fearless, and reliable. It's no wonder that this series was among my favorite childhood books.

Here is a quote that has stayed with me since I was in fourth grade: "Her real name isn't Nancy," said Peggy. "Her name is Ruth, but Uncle Jim said that Amazons were ruthless . . . [so] we had to change her name." (p. 119)

The charm of life in a close-knit community and the joys of childhood lived in the outdoors will still appeal to many modern children and their parents. The books are rated for ages nine to twelve, and the author's simple pen-and-ink drawings and maps enhance the text. ( )