This was recommended (and graciously lent) to me by a friend who read my write up of 
The Saturdays. I have to admit it has taken me a very long time to read it, as I basically just read a little each night in bed. As children’s books go–not a fast read. Which isn’t to say I didn’t enjoy it. I was fascinated by this world of children who are allowed to have a magical summer vacation living on an island by themselves. Fascinated that their mother allowed four children, one of whom was not a competent swimmer, to sail away and live on an island (that was not far from her, but still), and not know what they did all day, and really only be concerned that they get fresh milk every morning from the farm across the bay. These children (Susan, John, Roger, and -hilarious to a modern person- Titty) do have the most wonderful adventures and have the best imaginations of any child I’ve ever heard of. I loved it that they all still took the time to make tea and cook lovely meals for themselves. Can you imagine a ten year old today, by herself on an island, cooking up freshly caught fish for everyone? No, you cannot. Because today’s children probably wouldn’t even be allowed to build a fire on their own. I did find the endless sailing descriptions rather tedious, as well as some of the other drawn out bits. Taken a little bit each day, though, with license to skim the boring sailing bits (these children were very very capable sailors), a nice old fashioned British children’s story.
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