"Shipwrecked! (The Adventurous Four, #1) by Enid Blyton has sequels Stranded! and Trapped!, but suffers from re-titling over the century. 8+ age conversations have realistic long run-on sentences with clever words: astonishment, fuel, crocodiles, piers, jetties. Black and white brisk-lined quick-moving sketches bring the wind, waves, cliffs, and struggling sailors to life. I fell in love with Blyton's magical "Three Children and It"; this too is a fun, fast-paced appealing escapade. Andy 14 "dark-haired and blue-eyed" "knew everything about the sea, boats, and fishing", "could mimic any seabird" p8 for secret signals to his visiting pals. Tom 12 is "small, wiry" "red hair" "green eyes" always hungry. Cheerful twin sisters 10 Zoe and Pippa have "thick golden plaits and deep blue eyes" p7. Andy teaches them to swim, row, and climb, so one forgotten anchor is forgiveable, especially when a handy spare sail is stowed below. WW2 NE Scotland laws did not require emergency bailers and lifejackets, so a sudden storm brings unexpected adventure. The children do not think to save empty cans for tools, like digging a getaway tunnel, but resourceful Andy's pockets hold matches and candles in oilcloth, a can-opener, and his brain immediately sends them to rescue supplies, find food, and build shelter. If they miss salt in their potatoes, why not use sea water? Deserted islands have surprises. No mucking about, whining, they are brave, foolish, supportive, role models. (Spoilers:Heroes are human, not perfect. Tom returns to the Round Cave filled with cases of tins, sugar, and food supplies to retrieve his camera with photos of the small submarines in a cove, and foreign marked seaplane, but the enemies, one speaking English, capture and imprison him. Andy cleverly uses the old sail for protection, disguise, escape on a raft ... wish my summers were spent with such a gang. My dad was in the Air Force too, but theirs swoops in, deus ex machina, just in time - the problem was adult-sized. After Andy's fisherman father's only income source wrecks, the new red sailboat Andy enabling sequels satisfies perfectly.)
What do You think about The Adventurous Four (1989)?
