Books by Arthur Ransome

A master storyteller, sympathetically in touch with real children and their interests, has created characters who are accepted as friends by children everywhere, not to mention plots which are eminently plausible and unexpected.' SUNDAY TIMES, in an article listing Swallows and Amazons among '99 Best Books for Children.

Is it because of his hair?' Titty asked. 'Because of his heart' said Peter DuckThe Swallows and Amazons, as well as Captain Flint and the ancient able seaman Peter Duck, set sail on the Wild Cat bound for the Channel.

The poor old Amazons become Martyrs and the Ds Picts living in the woods, in Arthur Ransome's 11th adventure. The Ds can't wait to go and stay with Nancy and Peggy in the Lake District during the summer holidays. To save the Ds from the same fate they organise for them to stay in the Dogs' Home, a tumble-down hut in the woods.

It's great detective work that's needed now. Bill, Peter and Joe are falsely accused of setting boats adrift and the whole river is against them. Only Dick, Dorothea and Tom Dudgeon are there to stand by their friends and they soon set to work to investigate the crimes and trap the real criminals.

Fenders out!' Dick and Dorothea - also known as The Ds - arrive in Norfolk all ready to learn how to sail. They couldn't hope for a better teacher than Tom Dudgeon. After seeing the beastly Margoletta moored clean across the nests of his beloved coots, Tom set the motorcruiser adrift.

The four Swallows, John, Susan, Titty and Roger return to the lake full of such plans and they can't wait to meet up with Nancy and Peggy, the Amazon Pirates. When the Swallow is shipwrecked and the Amazon's fearsome Great-Aunt makes decides to make a visit their summer seems ruined.

'Like to spend a night in the Goblin?'The Swallows are staying on the Suffolk coast while they wait for their father to return home from China. But although the harbour is bursting with bobbing yachts, barges and steamers, this year there's no chance of any sailing for the landlocked Swallows.