Swallowdale

This is an odd book because it lacks a coherent plot: it's written as a series of separate and different episodes, almost like a collection of short stories. Each episode is quite good in its way, but overall the book leaves a confused impression: it isn't about something in particular, it's about this, and that, and the other.

Nevertheless, a number of significant things happen here: Swallow is wrecked (temporarily), Swallowdale is discovered, Great-Aunt Maria appears for the first time, we meet the Swainsons, Kanchenjunga is climbed, the late Mr Blackett is mentioned, Titty and Roger get lost in fog and meet the charcoal-burners again, and at the end Swallow is repaired and the two boats have a race.

I think this has to be regarded as an essential part of the story of the Swallows and Amazons, you probably shouldn't skip it, although it's not one of the best of the series. At last reading, I quite enjoyed it.