Winter Holiday (novel) 3884270 195642218 2008-03-03T21:20:28Z SteveRwanda 985645 disambig page now on its own {{infobox Book | <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Novels or Wikipedia:WikiProject_Books --> | name = Winter Holiday | title_orig = | translator = | image = [[Image:Winter Holiday cover.jpg|200px|photo of Jonathan Cape edition of Arthur Ransome's 1933 novel, Winter Holiday]] | image_caption = | author = [[Arthur Ransome]] | cover_artist = [[Arthur Ransome]] | country = [[United Kingdom]] | language = [[English language|English]] | series = [[Swallows and Amazons (series)|Swallows and Amazons]] | genre = [[Children's fiction|Children's Novel]] | publisher = [[Jonathan Cape]] | release_date = 1933 | media_type = Print ([[Hardcover]] & [[Paperback]]) | pages = | isbn = ISBN 0-613-77198-2 | preceded_by = [[Peter Duck]] | followed_by = [[Coot Club]] }} '''''Winter Holiday''''' is the fourth novel of [[Arthur Ransome]]'s [[Swallows and Amazons (series)|Swallows and Amazons]] series of children's books. It was published in 1933. In this story, the third set of major characters in the series, the D's &mdash; Dick and Dorothea Callum&mdash;are introduced. The series' usual emphasis on boats and sailing is largely absent, as the story is set in the winter. Instead, the children's activities focus on [[ice skating]], signalling with [[semaphore]] and [[Morse code]] and sledging. ==Sources== For his inspiration, Ransome draws on his schoolday memories of the Great Frost of 1895 when [[Windermere (lake)|Windermere]] froze completely. Another major influence is [[Fridtjof Nansen]]'s books about his [[Arctic]] expedition from 1893–1896 in the ''[[Fram]]'' and on [[sledge]]. ==Plot summary== Brother and sister Dick and Dorothea Callum meet the Swallows and Amazons during the winter beside the lake. Whilst observing the stars in a disused barn, Dick and Dorothea encounter the other children and shortly become firm friends. They become part of the group and join in their play of [[Arctic]] expeditions. The holiday is extended when leader Nancy Blackett catches [[mumps]] and the group is [[quarantine]]d and cannot return to their [[boarding school]]s. Initially, while waiting for snow to fall, the children embark on a series of adventures ranging from rebuilding an igloo to building an ice sled. There is a heavy snowfall followed by a prolonged period of freezing weather and, unusually, the lake freezes over, providing an excellent opportunity for an expedition to the [[North Pole]]. However, plans go awry when the D's set out earlier than expected due to a misunderstanding over a signal flag. When a blizzard blows up and the D's are missing, a rescue party is organized. {{SwallowsandAmazonsbooks}} [[Category:1933 novels]] [[Category:British novels]] [[Category:Adventure novels]] [[Category:Children's novels]] [[Category:Swallows and Amazons series]] [[cs:Zamrzlá loď kapitána Flinta]]