Lost in a blizzard on a frozen lake, a brother and sister, Dick and Dorothea Callum, are in great danger. It’s Swallows and Amazons to the rescue (they hope) in this wintertime adventure.
The Ds (Dick and Dorothea) meet the Swallows and Amazons during the winter beside the lake and they all become great friends: joining together in ice skating, learning semaphore signals, refashioning an igloo, and building an ice sled. But a misunderstanding could lead to disaster as Dick and Dorothea head off across the frozen lake to a spot they have named the “North Pole.” And, Nancy, the Amazon leader, is stuck at home with mumps.
Friendship and resourcefulness, dangers and rescues: 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. Winter Holiday (originally published in 1933) is the fourth title in the Swallows and Amazons series, books for children or grownups, anyone captivated by a world of adventure, exploration, and imagination.
The story is the best kind of adventure story. . . Every step is possible, and everyone is transmuted into romance by deliberate purpose. Nothing that the children do is beyond the reach of a group provided that winter, a frozen lake and mumps connive to perfect adventure.
—Observer