Swallows and Amazons

[RECESS]

Any fans here for this series of books? My 6 year old is a very advanced reader. Last year he read the Junie B. series, followed by the Magic Treehouse series, and now he is completing the A to Z mysteries. A friend suggested that with his reading level to see if he is interested in the Swallows and Amazons series as it is about children who sail England and Scotland. My son handles the tiller on both the Oday and Catalina and this summer he is begging to solo on his Johnson 16 scow. My friend said Swallows and Amazons is at heart a children's book series but many adults love to read the books too. I plan to read it as my son reads it, sometimes together.... I may have a hard time keeping up with his pace, the lad has a ferocious appetite for books. I ordered the first book to see if he likes it.

What say ye?

 

[Roger Long]

Any fans here for this series of books?

I have a boat and am here because of those books. My parents think they ruined my life.

You should look up and read the Arthur Ransom biographies. Amazing and complex man.

 

[HEINZIR]

My kids loved the Swallows and Amazon books and now my grandkids love them too. Our favorites are the first book Swallows and Amazons and We Didn't Mean to Go to Sea.

It's great that your 6-year old can read that well but if you don't mind a suggestion: take a half hour or hour each night and read it aloud to him. Do it as a family if you can. He'll get more out of it and will have pleasant memories that will last forever. You will be richly rewarded as well.

After you have finished the books you can try to find the DVD movies of several of them. I think the BBC made a series of Swallows and Amazon movies and a few are still available.

 

[FastOlson]

Kudos from another reader

I say get the whole set. Then get the non fiction books by Ransome as well.
I found them at the library when in my teens.
Wonderful adventures, without seeming contrived or "childish."

L

 

[IanJ]

Grew up to Swallows and Amazons. Based in the Norfolk Broads. Awesome and if every child read them, we would be a nation of sailors!

 

[RECESS]

I am looking forward to reading them both for myself and for my son. With the books he reads now, we always read together before he goes to sleep. He reads a paragraph and then my wife or I read a paragraph. We also read, although more my wife these days than I, the book he is reading and then discuss the plot and characters with him. We take road trips often and on his way to Aikido and piano lessons he reads in the back seat. He also finds a comfy spot on the sailboats and reads.

I look forward to the day he hits me up for my O'Brian books.

 

[FastOlson]

Sea Stories...

I am looking forward to reading them both for myself and for my son. With the books he reads now, we always read together before he goes to sleep. He reads a paragraph and then my wife or I read a paragraph. We also read, although more my wife these days than I, the book he is reading and then discuss the plot and characters with him. We take road trips often and on his way to Aikido and piano lessons he reads in the back seat. He also finds a comfy spot on the sailboats and reads.

I look forward to the day he hits me up for my O'Brian books.

Before he reaches O'Brian, I hope he enjoys all the Kenneth Roberts novels... and just before that... Rafael Sabatini.

 

[Witzend]

Nathaniel Philbrick has been on my lap latley, " Sea of Glory", " Mayflower", and his newest "The Last Stand", such a well researched historian who can bring out the human condition within historical context. I highly recommend him.

 

[cat30]

i read swallows and amazons

I read the book but my kids didnt- great story- the series is good also- getting ready to read it again!!