Nesbit, E. Five Children and It. New York: Dover Publications, 2002.
Reason read: Nesbit was born in the month of May.
The Psammead or Sammyad is a strange looking sand fairy capable of granting wishes. I loved the description of “it” as having eyes on long horns like a snail, ears like a bat, body like a spider, hands and feet like a monkey, and whiskers like a rat. And. And! And, the thing talks! When five children named Cyril (Squirrel), Roberts (Bobs), Anthea (Panther), Hilary (the Lamb), and Jane, digging in the sand discover the Psammead can grant wishes they immediately embark on making choices that always seem to backfire on them: wealth, becoming physically bigger than an opponent, living in a castle, growing angel wings, fighting wild Indians, to name a few. Even after they decide to be more thoughtful with their wishes they still run into disaster. Luckily, their parents are away dealing with an ailing grandmother so they have plenty of opportunities to get it right…and wrong. The best part of Five Children and It is the relationship between the siblings. It rings true no matter what drama they face.
Sometimes the language of the turn of the century really comes through. “Smell their fists” is a euphemism for fighting, for example.
Weird quotes to quote, “It is easy if you love the Baby as much as you ought to” (p 42) and “That lot’s all long hair, drink and rude women” (p 65).
Author fact: E. Nesbit is actually Edith Nesbit.
Book trivia: Five Children and It was originally published in 1902. My 2002 edition was illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky.
Nancy said: Pearl said Nesbit influenced writers before and after her.
BookLust Twist: from More Book Lust in the chapter called “Fantasy for Old and Young” (p 83).
~*LunaSea*~ 