The Picts and the Martyrs
The dreaded Great Aunt has invited herself to stay with Nancy and Peggy just as their friends Dick and Dorothea arrive for the Summer holiday.
Nancy and Peggy have to become Martyrs, wearing dresses and reading poetry (but breaking out at night), while Dick and Dorothea become Picts, secret inhabitants of the country who must never let themselves be seen. It's a desperate gamble to keep everyone out of trouble - but can it possibly work against the eagle eyes of the fearsome Great Aunt?
About the Swallows and Amazons Series
Books in series order
- 1.Swallows and Amazons(1930)
- 2.Swallowdale(1931)
- 3.Peter Duck(1932)
- 4.Winter Holiday(1933)
- 5.Coot Club(1934)
- 6.Pigeon Post(1936)
- 7.We Didn't Mean to Go to Sea(1937)
- 8.Secret Water(1939)
- 9.The Big Six(1940)
- 10.Missee Lee(1941)
- 11.The Picts and the Martyrs(1943)
- 12.Great Northern?(1947)
Reading age: 9+ years
This series should be read in order.
John, Susan, Titty and Roger Walker sail their boat, 'Swallow,' to a deserted island for a summer camping trip. Exploring and playing sailors is an adventure in itself but the island holds more excitement in store. Two fierce pirates from the boat 'Amazon,' Nancy and Peggy, challenge the Walker children to war and a summer of battles and alliances ensues.
For anyone who loves sailing and adventure, Arthur Ransome's classic 'Swallows and Amazons' series stands alone. Originally published in the UK over a half century ago, these books are still eagerly read by children, despite their length and their decidedly British protagonists. 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. 'Swallows and Amazons,' the book that started it all in 1930, introduces the Walker family, the camp on Wild Cat Island, the able-bodied catboat 'Swallow,' and the two intrepid Amazons, plucky Nancy and Peggy Blackett. Readers who enjoy Enid Blyton's 'The Famous Five' or 'The Secret Seven' adventures will be entranced by this classic series.