If not duffers, won't drown

Swallows and Amazons is one of those books that I wish I had known about when I was a child.  Perhaps it is different in the UK, but this series was nowhere to be seen in my local library growing up (or today, for that matter).   But it is enjoying a small renaissance, thanks to its re-printing in recent years by Godine publishers.  Godine describes its list of publications as:

        "deliberately eclectic and often features work that many other publishers can’t or won’t support, books that won’t necessarily become bestsellers but which still deserve publication."

Thank you, Godine.  If only more printers would adopt this philosophy.

So, back to the subject at hand, Swallows and Amazons, first published in 1930 and taking place at about the same time, tells the story of four children on summer holiday in the countryside, namely, the Lakes District of England.  After obtaining their parents' permission, they endeavor to camp out on a small island in the lake for the entirety of the summer, using their small sailboat the Swallow as transport.  Trouble soon arises when it turns out the island has already been claimed by local sisters Nancy and Peggy Blackett and their sailboat, the Amazon.  Many adventures ensue, but (spoilers) they become friends and proceed to star in eleven more books.

Swallows and Amazons is a helicopter parent's nightmare.  The children sail all over the lake, spend their nights camping alone, and only check in with their mother every few days.  (The youngest brother doesn't even know how to swim!)  The title of the post references their father's telegram giving his permission, in which he pronounces that they probably won't get themselves killed, but if they do, it will be their own fault.  In this way it perfectly encapsulates the freedom of childhood and its boundless possibilities.  On the other hand, it is also never neglects practicalities, sometimes even to the point of tedium.  We learn about all the work involved in such an endeavor, from what they eat to how they wash out the teapot to what they do when it rains.  But in a way, even these details add to the fantastic sense of adventure, since they serve to show that such a life really is possible, if only you are properly equipped.

My quibbles are small.  One, the books contain more sailing terminology than a Patrick O'Brien novel, with no sympathy for the reader who has no idea what Ransome is talking about.  Second, I found the children's characters to all be somewhat one-note.  John is the steady leader, Nancy the crazy tomboy, Susan the mother hen, etc.  And yet, perhaps even this turns out to be an asset.  Since the children are archetypes rather than specific people, it becomes easier for a child reader to insert himself into one of the figures.  For what these books ultimately offer us is the childhood we wish we could have had.

I have only read the first four books, which I will rate below.  It is a good read aloud for 7-12 year olds, with the older end of the range able to read them independently.

Swallows and Amazons: A    Good intro to the series

Swallowdale: B+     Less interesting, esp. since the plot takes us away from the lake

Peter Duck: A-     Exciting, but is the children's fantasy of a pirate adventure, and thus doesn't
                             "really happen," even in the universe of the books

Winter Holiday: A     Liked the new characters and snowbound setting