Swallows and Amazons

[This is a review I wrote in 2008]

**Classic adventure story!**

I missed out on this as a child... but it's just as good coming to it as an adult. The perfect lazy Sunday afternoon book to read. Adults can also escape to the wilds of Lake Windemere (Lake District), to sail up the Amazon, do battle with pirates and search for buried treasure on Cormorant Island.

The year is 1929 and story is about four children - John, Susan, Titty and Roger (in age order) - who are holidaying on the shores of Lake Windemere with their mum and baby sister, Vicky. The children are an adventurous lot and love sailing in their boat, the Swallow. Towards the end of their holiday they persuade their mum to allow them on an adventure for a week. They're allowed to sail across to the island not far away and make camp there by themselves.

This is a great adventure for these intrepid explorers. They discover a retired pirate, camp, bathe in the lake, fish and cook for themselves, and are threatened by a rival group of bandits, the Amazons (otherwise known as Nancy and Peggy). All in all a great week of fun and adventure is had by all - brilliant to read, although there are very few children who'd be allowed to do this now! Inspired by the author's own childhood holidays at the south end of Coniston in the Lake District. ( )

Pretty tame stuff, but comfortable and pleasant. This is kind of damning with faint praise, I suppose. It's very much the sort of thing you'll like if you like this sort of thing. ( )

Thought it was as short as boxcar children when first saw in magazines, super glad it wasn´t.
Wish I was one of them ( )

I read this book when I was about 9 or 10 years old. I remember having to ask about a lot of words because there is a lot of sailing terminology. Overall, I enjoyed this book. Though the book was slow-paced, it told a story about young kids from 1929 and their adventures. They learn to think independently while exploring an island they found.

I highly recommend this book for young-adult readers. I feel like it was too young to understand the meaning of this book. I'm definitely going to read this book again when I have the time! ( )

Wonderful kids' book from the 1930's. First of a series of twelve. Takes you into a time and place where kids could be kids, camping in nature for summer holiday, adventurous and imaginative: the author remembered what it's like to be a child. I love the sense of humor and the writing style which describes small moments in detail- a squirrel's journey from one branch to another or a dipper bobbing on a rock. This is the sort of book that a kid can treasure and make it part of his or her own life. Lots of nautical terminology and references to classic sea-adventure books. ( )