Swallows and Amazons
Arthur Ransome
John, Susan, Titty and Roger Walker are on holiday by a lake, and they long to sail their little boat, Swallow, to an island and camp there all by themselves. When their father finally says yes, they set up camp, but they soon discover that someone else thinks the island belongs to them.
- Length
- About 95,000 words
- To read it
- About 64 days
- Stage
- Key Stage 2
Reading time at 1,500 words a day, the pace we start from until we know your child’s own.
Where it is taught
Why Swallows and Amazons is on the list
- Year 5, Challenge. Demanding books for a strong reader who wants a real challenge.
Reading it here
What your child does with it
- 1
Choose it and set a finish date
You get a suggested target from the length of the book and your child's reading pace.
- 2
Check in along the way
A longer book has short check-ins every week or two, so it keeps moving and nothing is forgotten.
- 3
Answer two questions
When they finish: a review of the book, and a deeper question about how it works.
- 4
Get it marked, and redraft
Every answer is marked against the rubric for their year, with a reason for every score.