Swallows and Amazons

by Arthur Michell Ransome

No cover — Arthur Michell Ransome: Swallows and Amazons (1985, Godine)

351 pages

English language

Published Jan. 4, 1985 by Godine.

(21 reviews)

This is one of the finest books for children, both boys and girls. In 1928, four children, aged 7 to 12 (?), whose father is in the navy, vacation with their mother and baby sister on a lake in the north of England. They borrow a 13' sailboat (the Swallow) from the farmer with whom they are staying, and camp on an island in the lake. They meet two girls (the Amazons), about the same age, and have realistic adventures together. The first in a series of twelve books, maybe the best kids' books ever written.

52 editions

loppear reviewed Swallows and Amazons. by Arthur Michell Ransome

childhood re-read

4 stars

A little imagination to travel to a steam and sail era lake country summer vacation, and further with a group of kids earnestly imagining themselves as explorers and pirates. Inspiring now as when I was the kid's ages, instructively detailing technicalities of sailing, camping, exploring, as well as life lessons about earning responsibility, negotiating with friend and foe, and dealing with fear and misjudgement.

ajft reviewed Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Michell Ransome (Godine storyteller)

Review of 'Swallows and Amazons' on 'GoodReads'

4 stars

Revisiting some childhood reading

mothlight reviewed Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Michell Ransome (Godine storyteller)

Review of 'Swallows and Amazons' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

It is interesting reading this at the same time I'm reading lots of Enid Blyton. In a way, they are the same books, a group of kids off on their own for a few days having an adventure. While Blyton is always moving, having an ADVENTURE, facing nefarious smugglers/kidnappers, Ransome feels more like a genuine children's adventure.

Very little happens (he will spend a paragraph with a lovely description of a dipper bird hopping in and out of the water) and the adventures have to come out of the children's imagination (instead of having Scooby Doo villains chasing them). It feels like the difference between creating adventures and having lots of things just happening to you.

The parents in Blyton seem downright neglectful, where Ransome's parents give them freedom but are still quite involved. Their mother is somewhere between being a mother and indulging their children's imaginary worlds.

All in …