Sure, the 50’s [CORRECTION: 30’s] weren’t all beer and skittles, but, hey, it’s childrens’ fiction! And it’s really nice to envelop yourself for a time in a tale intended for young people largely free of angst, psychological trauma or dystopia. It’s undemanding, genteel and charming. And, for a 54 year old, enduring and refreshing. Ransome’s illustrations add a naive, slightly lumpy thing which just draws me in. It’s like he’s done with a blank piece of paper and ink what the Walker children do with holidays and a lake and a boat - get out there and see what happens! 3 cheers for his publishers - all those years ago - for not going with a trained illustrator! Commander Walker takes over to sail to Goblin. He steers the yacht because he knows John is tired. He is also not mad at the children for what happens. If you cannot open a .mobi file on your mobile device, please use .epub with an appropriate eReader.

In 1902, Ransome abandoned a chemistry degree to become a publisher's office boy in London. He used this precarious existence to practice writing, producing several minor works before Bohemia in London (1907), a study of London's artistic scene and his first significant book. A little side note - Ransome’s world is technically precise - the nautical details are clearly accurate. In my ignorance of much of the sailing terminology I found myself just filling in the gaps at no real loss to the telling of the tale. To thank John, Jim then invites the children to his yacht. His yacht is named ‘Goblin’. When Mrs. Walker sees Jim, she invites him over for supper at Alma Cottage. The next day Jim asks Mrs. Walker again to take the children in his yacht on a river cruise. Mrs. Walker is a little reluctant but Jim promises that they will not sail past the Beach End Bouy. Mrs. Walker says okay.

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This is one of the stories in which we get a sense of John growing up as he takes charge, makes decisions and, in the end, has them all validated by those much more experienced than he. We also see the wisdom of his father when Commander Ted appears on the scene and gently takes charge of some aspects (primarily provisions) and leaves Skipper John to sail and run Goblin as he sees fit. Reading this now it's really very difficult to shut up the "it's PC Gone Mad" inner Daily Mail reader in you: these days Mrs Walker would have the Police after Jim for being a potential child-snatching paedophile, they would have been arrested for stealing the boat and as suspected illegal immigrants on arrival in Holland, and again on their re-arrival in England. There's the animal smuggling charge to be levelled against them too. The children would probably sue Jim for damages for the trauma they have suffered during the unwanted voyage. After they meet Father, Susan reminds her dad to send the telegram to Mother and she also makes sure that the telegram is sent.

Surely the best children's book ever written. Yes, dammit, this time I'm finishing the sentence. It is just superb. The boat that inspired children's author Arthur Ransome to write what many consider to be his best story is celebrating her 90th birthday on the River Orwell.When the Goblin is out at sea. Susan is worried. She is worried that Mother will think they did not keep their promise. Jim is knowledgeable about the yacht and the sea. He shows the children how to steer the yacht. He tells them the shoal can be dangerous for them as they could run ashore. He also shows them the shoals using charts.

This is an amazing book. Arthur Ransome sets up the story so well and gets the reader into the minds of his characters so much so that one begins thinking what Susan and Roger and Titty and John are thinking. The timeline for the story is only a handful of days and so the action ends up being quite intense. This is a state of affairs that feels like it could never happen today, and yet it is so enthralling that it is perfectly believable. Ransome makes you feel that this could just happen and that these children just might be able to deal with it! In We Didn’t Mean to Go to Sea, the Walker children and their mother are waiting at Pin Mill for Daddy to arrive home when they meet a young sailor named Jim Brading. Jim promises to sail the kids around to a few of the nearby ports, giving Mrs. Walker his word that he will not take John, Susan, Titty, and Roger to sea. He doesn’t anticipate the fact that he will run out of petrol, or that a heavy fog will descend over his boat, The Goblin. Nor does he guess that the tide will turn and the Walkers will drift out to sea in his boat, heading for Holland with no captain and no idea how they will get home. There are lots of local references in the book that make it clear that Arthur Ransome knew this area very well and it was on board Nancy where he worked on his story.

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It is a very well-paced book, a good build up and then plenty of excitement through the most adventurous parts. It was nail-biting stuff the first time I read it! Will they survive? Will they get home? What will their mother say?! It is a real adventure, not pretending adventures in the Lake District (which is the basis of the other books), but actual danger and a huge sea that they have to deal with all on their own. John and Susan take turn to steer the Goblin. Jim suggests they anchor off Shotley Pier and go ashore to call Mrs. Walker. After the Goblin is stopped, Jim tells the children that there are many shoals outside and it is easy to run aground. At night, the Goblin suddenly rolls violently. Jim tells them that it is because of the big ship that goes from England to Holland everyday. Four siblings go on an accidental adventure when they’re swept across the sea—all the way to Holland—in this entry from the classic children’s series.