Swallows and Amazons is a classic children’s adventure novel by Arthur Ransome, published in 1930. The ‘Swallows’ are four siblings on holiday in the Lake District of England, taking their name after the boat they use to explore the nearby lake. The ‘Amazons’ are two local sisters who take a more… piratical approach to sailing. If Harry Potter is an idealized version of school which children wish they could attend, Swallows and Amazons is the summer break counterpart. There is no magic, only the fantasy of having weeks of free reign to explore and perhaps commit some light piracy and other unsanctioned endeavors in the dead of night, not to mention the pursuit of the requisite buried treasure.

Swallows and Amazons‘ enduring appeal has led to it being adapted several times over the years. Ransome would also go on to write more books following the further adventures of its protagonists, although I have only read the immediate sequel, Swallowdale, which is a little more land-based than the first but still quite good.

Have an Amaz(on)ing Sunday!