Peter Duck

The intrepid Swallows (explorers John, Susan, Titty, and Roger Walker) and fearsome Amazon pirates (Nancy and Peggy Blackett) sail the high seas, outwitting a pirate and his cutthroat crew, sharks, and the ravenous creatures of Crab Island in search of buried treasure.

It all begins when Peter Duck, an elderly sailor once marooned on an island in the Caribbean, tells a tale to the Swallows and Amazons. It's a tale of buried treasure and, unfortunately, when the kids set sail to find it, the pirate Jake, captain of the Viper, follows.

Across the Atlantic Ocean, through fog, threats from pirate Jake, a hurricane, and an earthquake once they land, the Swallows and Amazons have to find the treasure, evade the pirates, and return safely home to England.

Friendship, resourcefulness, and sailing, too: Arthur Ransome's Swallows and Amazons series has stood the test of time. More than just great stories, each one celebrates independence and initiative with a colorful, large cast of characters. Peter Duck (originally published in 1932) is the third title in the Swallows and Amazons series, books for children or grownups, anyone captivated by a world of adventure and imagination.