'Swallows and Amazons for ever!'

The Walker children - also known as Captain John, Mate Susan, Able-seaman Titty, and Ship's Boy Roger - set sail on the Swallow and head for Wild Cat Island. There they camp under open skies, swim in clear water and go fishing for their dinner. But their days are disturbed by the Blackett sisters, the fierce Amazon pirates. The Swallows and Amazons decide to battle it out, and so begins a summer of unforgettable discoveries and incredible adventures.

Includes exclusive material: In ‘The Backstory’ you can try to crack the Swallows’ code and learn all about the adventurous author.

Vintage Children’s Classics is a twenty-first century classics list aimed at 8-12 year olds and the adults in their lives. Discover timeless favourites from Peter Pan and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland to modern classics such as The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.

Includes the original b/w illustrations and maps by Arthur Ransome

Extra material includes: 'who's who' guide to characters, quiz about the book, background info on setting, characters, boats and author, code-cracking game.

Survival and adventure tale of four children from the pre-health and safety generation - their father's motto is "Better drowned than duffers." A book that fans of Dangerous Book for Boys will enjoy.

Ransome was the 1930s equivalent of JK Rowling - the Swallows and Amazons series had sold more than a million copies by the time the last was published, and have sold many millions more since

Major BBC films adaptation due summer 2012 - billed as a "white knuckle ride, action adventure" that will find the same audience as the Harry Potter franchise

The Arthur Ransome Society (TARS) boasts more than 2,000 members, with groups in North America, Australia and Japan exchanging news and views on the exploits of Captain John and his crew through such august publications as The Outlaw and Ship's Log.