▁the ▁children ▁begin ▁to ▁see ▁themselves ▁as ▁land own ers ▁and ▁start ▁to ▁build ▁an ▁emp ire . ▁ ▁Social ▁hier arch ies ▁quickly ▁develop , ▁and ▁the ▁children ▁each ▁play ▁a ▁role ▁in ▁the ▁society ▁which ▁they ▁have ▁de vised , ▁based ▁on ▁British ▁government . ▁A ▁contrast ▁is ▁shown ▁between ▁ship board ▁and ▁civil ian ▁authority ▁and ▁organisation . ▁ ▁Crit ical ▁reception ▁ ▁Ball ant y ne ' s ▁books ▁contain ▁more ▁details ▁of ▁the ▁local ▁fl ora ▁and ▁fa una , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁moral istic ▁dialog ue , ▁than ▁is ▁usual ▁in ▁present - day ▁stories . ▁ ▁However , ▁his ▁nov els ▁were ▁popular ▁with ▁both ▁children ▁and ▁adult s . ▁Most ▁critics ▁agree ▁that ▁his ▁books ▁were ▁very ▁well - res earch ed . ▁The ▁London ▁Qu arter ly ▁Review ▁critic ised ▁the ▁book ▁for ▁over emph as ising ▁p iety ▁out ▁of ▁keeping ▁with ▁the ▁advent ur ous ▁spirit ▁of ▁the ▁novel . ▁Mich elle ▁Ell er ay ▁also ▁discussed ▁Ball ant y ne ' s ▁over t ▁Christian ity ▁and ▁pointed ▁out ▁that ▁he ▁used ▁his ▁nov els ▁as ▁a ▁way ▁of ▁providing ▁educational ▁and ▁religious ▁material ▁in ▁an ▁entertain ing ▁way . ▁She ▁also ▁points ▁out ▁that ▁Ball ant y ne ' s ▁child ▁characters ▁were ▁usually ▁quite ▁self - su fficient ▁and ▁self - direct ed , ." ▁having ▁developed ▁their ▁own ▁sense ▁of ▁ag ency ▁and ▁ability . ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁External ▁links ▁▁▁ ▁Category : 1 8 8 5 ▁British