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Title: Swallowdale
Subtitle: Swallows and Amazons Series
Author: Arthur Ransome
Narrator: Alison Larkin
Format: Unabridged
Length: 12 hrs and 33 mins
Language: English
Release date: 10-22-08
Publisher: Audible Studios
Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 118 votes
Genres: Kids, Ages 8-10
Publisher's Summary:
We attribute their success to two facts: first, Ransome is a great storyteller and, second, he clearly writes from first-hand experience. Independence and initiative are qualities any child can understand, and every volume in this collection celebrates these virtues.
Swallowdale (originally published in 1931) is the second title in Arthur Ransome's classic series for children, for grownups, for anyone captivated by the world of adventure and imagination. It follows the Walker family and friends through a shipwreck, a camp on the mainland, a secret valley and cave, and a thrilling mountain hike.
All 12 novels in the Swallows and Amazons series have been brought to life in the US in print by David R. Godine, Publisher.
Members Reviews:
Swallowdale
Swallowdale is my favorite book in the Swallows and Amazons series. This reading is well done. Enjoy!
Excellent Narration
These stories are superb! I'm just discovering this series by Arthur Ransome, and thoroughly enjoying the stories.
The narration by Alison Larkin is excellent. She really brings the stories to life and does the different character voices very well.
Overall, I highly recommend this series. I'm listening my way through them.
Swallowdale
It was awesome. I like that they got shipwrecked. I especially like Titty. -MCW (8)
Pure magic transports you to another place and time
My 8 year old daughter was captivated by this story. She says it was fun and she enjoyed the suspense and the use of all the sailing terminology even though she knows nothing about sailing. She felt like she was there and that she was Titty. She can't wait to listen to others in the series. I loved listening too as we listened in the car each day. I was sometimes tempted to listen when she wasn't with me. These stories take you to a wonderful idyllic childhood.
Innocent Adventures
If you could sum up Swallowdale in three words, what would they be?
imagination, independence, countryside
Who was your favorite character and why?
Titty, the third child in the Walker family, is my favorite. Her imagination always enlivens the world around her, but she's willing to listen and learn from her mother and older sister.
What does Alison Larkin bring to the story that you wouldnt experience if you just read the book?
The reader does a wonderful job using different voices for all the children. It's usually quite easy to tell which one is speaking. Her clear unhurried narration also contributes to a feeling of peace and enjoyment as the children are camping but quickens enough for such excitement as there is (like the sailing race near the end of the novel).
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
No, it's pretty long for one sitting. Most of it doesn't make you feel like you must listen to the next chapter immediately.
Any additional comments?
I love the Swallows and Amazons books. They give my children a glimpse into a life of safe exploration and adventure, a time when strangers in books were friends and helpful rather than scary. There is one point in the book when Titty attempts to make a kind of voodoo doll, which was a bit surprising as we were listening. But her older siblings and mother react calmly with just enough explanation and discouragement to avoid spreading the idea to anyone listening to the book.