Swallows and Amazons Series

Swallows And Amazons Series

The Swallows and Amazons series is a series of twelve children's books by English author Arthur Ransome, named after the title of the first book in the series. The twelve books involve adventures by groups of children almost all during the school holidays and mostly in England and Scotland, between the two World Wars. The stories revolve around outdoor activities, especially sailing.

Literary scholar Peter Hunt said he believes the series "...changed British literature, affected a whole generation's view of holidays, helped to create the national image of the English Lake District and added Arthur Ransome's name to the select list of classic British children's authors".

The series remains popular today. It is part of the basis for a large tourist industry in the Lake District and Norfolk Broads areas of England, where many of the books are set. There are also several societies dedicated to the study and promotion of Ransome's work which are largely inspired by the series. The first one to be founded was the Arthur Ransome Club in Japan. There is also the British-based group, The Arthur Ransome Society, which has an international membership.