Swallow & Amazons by Arthur Ransome
Book party hosted and organized by Lara Seaver
Swallows & Amazons is a timeless story that speaks to the heart of all those (both young and old) who dream of taking off on an adventure in uncharted waters. It can be a daunting book to take on because of the extensive use of nautical and sailing terms; many of us in the group found the audio book, read by Alison Larkin, to be more approachable. She does a fantastic job with voices and making the characters come alive!
Experiencing this book together as a family, was one of the highlights of our year. We all felt we were living life on the island alongside the Walkers and Blacketts and felt the sharp sting of goodbye just as fiercely as they did when the book came to a close. We were left with the reminder that there is an adventure to be found around every turn if you only have the eyes to envision it.
The Gathering
We held our gathering at a local park where we had a large hillside of natural terrain in which we could create our own Wildcat Island to explore and imagine in. There were locations from the book set up all over the park (see more details under the description for the Map Quest activity). We set up child-sized fabric A-frame tents and teepees and began and ended our party with free-play; allowing the children to create whatever world they wanted together among the trees and inside their shelters.
If you have access to a lake, the lakeside would also be a wonderful location to hold this party.
Food Ideas
Our menu was comprised of foods that were mentioned in the book, or at least some variation of them. It was a culinary adventure trying new foods such as pemmican, seed cake, and marmalade! We even had the children run all the way up the hill to fetch their milk from a cooler before they could have lunch – to give them a sense of what the Walker children experienced as they fetched the milk from Dixon’s farm every morning before breakfast.
Milk (we went with chocolate milk!)
Pemmican (we cut up Epic bars into small bite sized chunks for the children to try, you could also just do beef jerky and dried fruits)
Bananas (one creative mom even created a stand for us to hang them on so we could have a “banana tree” like the children had on the island)
Cold chicken
Eggs
Cheese
Fresh bread & butter served with marmalade
Sliced apples
Tuna fish sandwiches (we went with tuna fish instead of fresh caught fish)
English seed cake (recipe below)
Shortbread cookies
Rice pudding (or regular pudding if the children prefer)
Chocolate
Toffee (“molasses” as Titty likes to call it)
Ginger beer/ale (“grog”)
Discussion Questions
We chose to not hold a formal discussion with the large group but rather held organic conversations throughout the party with small groups of children. Here are some thought- provoking questions that you could use to spark a conversation about the book:
What did you think of the children’s father based on his telegram?
Which child in the story do you think you are most like?
Did the way in which Nancy and Peggy were introduced influence the way you felt about them? Are they what you expected?
Have you ever pretended to live in another time or world other than your own?
How did you feel when Mr. Turner (Captain Flint) did not allow John to speak when John came to deliver the warning from the charcoal burners? How do you think John felt after his encounter with Mr. Turner? Why was he so upset at being called a liar? What is the worst thing you have been unfairly called or accused of? How did it make you feel about yourself and the other person? John goes off on his own and then swims round the island to make himself feel better. How would you have handled the situation?
How would you feel if you were Titty and were left alone to guard the island?
Which character would you most like as a friend?
Which character would you like to know more about?
Which character do you most admire?
What did you think of the adults in the novel?
What did you think of the relationships in the story? Was it like any family or friendships you know or have experienced?
Did the novel inspire you to want to have your own adventures?
Tell me about your favorite exploit in the story?
What adventure would you like to try from the story?
Which activity would scare you most?
If you oversaw the meals on an overnight adventure, what would you bring to eat?
The children are given a lot of freedom. Can you imagine this happening today? Why or why not?
How did you feel at the end of the story?
Were you surprised by anything in the story?
The Walker children learned many new things and skills during their time on the island. Did you learn anything that you did not know before reading the story?
It is hard for the children to have their adventures come to an end. Have you ever experienced the feeling of a good thing coming to an end? When was it?
Activities
Make Your Own Flag
We provided fabric markers and the children created their own flags on scraps of white fabric. They used sticks that were scavenged from our surroundings to attach their flags to.
Map Quest
The site that we selected for our party was very intentional in that it had several distinct landmarks that lined up well with locations from the book. I created a map of the park and labeled the distinctive features with names of places from the book (Holly Howe, Wildcat Island, Houseboat Bay, Dixon’s Farm, etc.). Each location in the park was decorated with items that helped it feel like the location in the book: Holly Howe had a table with books and a replica of father’s telegram, the houseboat had a typewriter and a cage with a parrot in it, the charcoal burners had a snake, etc. Also at each location, was a small box that contained a nautical/pirate themed sticker. Each child received their own map and on the back of each map was a “Captain’s Log”, which contained a square for each location. As the children found each location throughout the park, they were able to put the sticker from each on the corresponding square in their Captain’s Log as a way to document their travels.
Capture the Flag
We provided two flags and allowed the children to organize their own game of capture the flag. The older children took the lead and helped create the teams, rules, and boundaries. There were many whoops and hollers of excitement as the children chased each other through trees on a mission to return with the other team’s flag first.
Singing a Sea Chantey
One of our more musical moms lead the children in singing the sea chantey that the Walker children sing at the end of the book, “Leave Her, Johnny”. She used a parrot puppet to lead them in song and they all sang it pirate style. The children thought it was hilarious and enjoyed it a lot!
Knot Tying
We did not end up doing this activity, but you could teach the children a few basic nautical knots.
Anatomy of a Sailboat
We also did not have time for this, but it would be a good enrichment activity to teach the names and functions of the different parts of a sailboat, since those are such an integral part of the book.
Party Favors
We did not do any party favors, but the children were able to take home the flags that they made. If you choose to have the children find a prize at the end of their map quest, they could also take that home. A mini telescope or binoculars would be a fun take-home!
Traditional English Seed Cake
Makes one 2 lb. loaf
¾ c. butter, softened
1 c. sugar
3 large eggs
3 tsp. caraway seeds
1 ½ c. plus 1 Tbsp. flour, sifted
1 tsp. baking powder
1 Tbsp. ground almonds (or almond flour)
1 Tbsp. milk
Pinch of salt
Preheat oven to 350*. Butter and line a 2-pound loaf tin with baking paper. Set aside.
Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time.
Sift together the flour and baking powder. Stir this in along with the salt, almonds, seeds, and milk.
Mix well to combine evenly. Scrape into the prepared baking tin.
Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until well risen, golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely in the tin. Store in an airtight container.
Cut into thin slices to serve.
KIND + CULTIVATED 