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. The crew's on holiday for their sixth adventure, and they turn their energies to mining for gold, aided by pigeon messengers Homer, Sophocles, and Sappho. The adventurers comb the nearby hills for a fabled lost claim, while being shadowed by a mysterious figure they dub "squashy hat." Undeterred by drought, sudden brushfires, and the continuing presence of Squashy Hat, the young prospectors persevere in their quest -- with surprising results. Full of the dangers and dark adventures of old mines and forgotten claims, Pigeon Post has an irresistible appeal to the persistent explorer in every child.

A hilarious short story about a woman who decides to buy New Zealand Stuck in the dry desert of Single Tree Gully, Australia, in 1840, Mrs C Wentworth dreams of a place deluged with rain. An island to own, and rain. The pigeon post brings word from her husband that he has negotiated with some Maori chiefs to purchase the isle on which she has set her heart. However, politics intervene . . .

"A man, a writer, lives alone in a rather squalid Paris apartment. He is trying to write a novel, but he has nothing to say. He tries multiple beginnings, interspersed with one digression (but from what?) after another. In the hope of finding subject matter for his would-be realistic story, he then sends letters to three friends - Edmond, Edgar, and Edourd - with a list of questions about their lives, some rather personal inquiries, some bordering on the obscene. The responses are not very helpful, and even seem suspiciously untrue. Out of this melange of stops and starts, false information, questionable memories, pieces of this and that, an insanely comic novel starts to emerge." "Dumitru Tsepeneag takes us into a game of memory and storytelling, where the tenderness of the past clashes with the comedy of the present, and where fictional characters and actual friends mingle in the play of the imagination."--BOOK JACKET.

"First published in 1936 by Jonathan Cape Ltd.; revised edition published in 1983"--Copyright page.

Six animal-theme stories of children encountering animals - what happens is chaos, love and even teamwork. A good read for primary-school children. "Sure enough the kitchen floor was tilted slightly. Susheila gasped and ran in to grab Cloud's cage and her schoolbag and scuttled after the others up towards the road. Looking back she could see that the trees and part of the road has slid down towards the river which was now pushing the loose earth and stones out of its way. their house has slipped down towards the rushing river. She clutched her mother's arm. - Excerpt from Pigeon Post, the first of six stories in this new book by Gwen Smith.