Strong Winds series Strong Winds series The Strong Winds series is a series of children's books written by English author Julia Jones. The books reference many of the settings and characters of the Swallows and Amazons series by Arthur Ransome. The books use adventure stories about sailing to provide action and structure amid developing themes of foster care, mental illness, disability and corrupt officialdom. Donny Walker (aged 13) and his deaf mother Skye travel in a campervan to Shotley to meet Donny's long-lost great aunt Ellen. Following a car accident authorities place Donny in foster care and his mother in a psychiatric hospital.
S. I. Martin S. I. Martin S. I. Martin (born 24 April 1961) is a British author, historian, journalist and teacher, specialising in Black British history and literature. He wrote "Britain's Slave Trade" for Channel 4 Books to accompany the channel's television documentary "Windrush", a novel, "Incomparable World", charting the progress of three black exiles living in 18th-century London, and has written works of fiction for children to widen the consciousness and knowledge of the slave trade. Aside from authorship, Martin actively promotes the knowledge of Black British history through his work with London schools, borough councils, English Heritage, the National Maritime Museum,