Swallows and Amazons is the perfect 'whole family' adventure story. Set in the Lake District in England, the story follows some siblings who go camping on an island in the middle of the lake with their boat, the Swallow. Disaster strikes when two sisters onboard the Amazon stake their claim for the island and battle ensues. A fast paced, exciting narrative that is packed with twists and half baked plans, it's a great read that can be broken down into a chapter a night, and instills a love for the outdoors.

P.S. There's a great movie for afterwards too!