 |
This is the only book in the series that is less than perfect in that the "bad
guys" in this story were a little too bad to make comfortable adversaries for
children. Mr. Ransome realized this and in the next book referred to this one as stories
told in a winter's vacation. Nevertheless the average child today has been exposed to far
worse "bad guys" in today's television and movie dramas and on the news than the
ones in this story and will never see the flaws that troubled Mr. Ransome. For them it
will simply be a wonderful adventure which they will devour. In "Peter Duck" Captain Flint has bought the schooner "Wild Cat" and takes the children and an old sailor on a cruise to the Caribbean to visit a lonely island where they have some hopes of discovering buried treasure. The sea going scenes are handled very well and the children's determination to be good sailors, learn all they can, and take in as much as they can about the sea and maritime lands that they visit, certainly rings true. It will be rare child who will not dream of schooners and tropic seas after reading this book. (tm) $14.95 |