Arthur Ransome

As this classic series continues, adventuring children off the western coast of Scotland spot a strange bird and soon land themselves in danger.
While on a sailing cruise with Cap. Flint exploring in the Outer Hebrides, the Swallows, Amazons, and the Ds spot a mysterious bird nesting on an island in a loch. Could it be a great northern diver, never known to nest in the British Isles? They tell their discovery to a local expert who

...

As the classic series continues, an unexpected visitor forces a group of children to go to great lengths to enjoy a summer of fun and adventure.
 
The Amazons’ mother (doubtless suffering from exhaustion) has gone off sailing in the North Sea with Captain Flint on a rest cure, but she has allowed her two daughters to stay on the lakeshore with their trusty cook. She’s also permitted their two old friends, Dick

...

In this 1910 volume, Ransome examines the life and work of Edgar Allan Poe, in an attempt to "separate truth from tradition." Ransome's careful analysis of Poe's life, work, and thought processes support his view that Poe's tales and poetry were merely by-products of his unfinished search for a philosophy of life. An evocative portrait of a pioneering writer.

But for Swallows and Amazons, some of Arthur Ransome's earlier writings would be better known. The extraordinary success Ransome achieved as a children's writer, from the 1930's until his death in 1967, perhaps inevitably eclipsed his earlier work, but in the case of his two books and pamphlet on the Russian revolutions of 1917 and the tumultuous events that followed that is a great loss: it can be said unequivocally that these writings are on a par,...

"The Swallows and Amazons return to their lakeside home (in England's Lake District in the 1930s) bursting with grand schemes for the summer--camping, hiking, fishing and exploring. But a shipwreck and an impending visit from a Great-Aunt threaten to foil all their plans. Never fear: the discovery of a hidden valley and a secret cave lend new excitement to their days!"--Amazon.com.

Reunited for the summer, the Swallows and Amazons search for a lost gold mine in the hills above the lake and face many dangers including a forest fire, unsafe tunnels and a rival prospector.

While on vacation in East Anglia, four children, whose previous sailing experience is limited to dinghies, accidentally drift out to the North Sea after the rising tide causes their cutter to drag anchor.

Follows the adventures of the five Walker children after their parents leave them on a "desert island" with provisions for a long stay and a blank map to fill in.

When their boat is burned and they are cast adrift in the South China Sea, Titty, Roger, Peggy, John, Nancy, Susan, and Captain Flint make their way to land only to find themselves the captives of the redoubtable Missee Lee, one of the last pirates operating off the China coast.