Edith Nesbit facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Edith Nesbit
Edith Nesbit, ca. 1890
Born	(1858-08-15)15 August 1858 Kennington, Surrey (now Greater London), England
Died	4 May 1924(1924-05-04) (aged 65) New Romney, Kent, England
Pen name	E. Nesbit
Occupation	Writer, poet
Nationality	English
Period	1886–1924
Genre	Children's literature

Edith Nesbit (1858–1924) was a famous English writer. She is best known for her amazing books for children. Many of her stories, like The Railway Children, have even been made into movies.

About Edith Nesbit's Life

Early Life and Family Travels

Edith Nesbit was born in 1858 in Kennington, England. Her father, John Collis Nesbit, was a chemist who studied farming. He passed away when Edith was very young, before she turned four.

Because her sister Mary was often sick, Edith's family traveled a lot. They lived in many places, including Brighton and Buckinghamshire in England. They also spent time in France, Spain, and Germany.

These travels lasted for several years. Later, the family settled for three years in Halstead, Kent. This place later inspired her famous book, The Railway Children.

Moving to London and Meeting Hubert Bland

When Edith was seventeen, her family moved back to London. They lived in different parts of South East London.

At eighteen, in 1877, Edith met Hubert Bland. He worked at a bank.

Edith Nesbit's Children

Edith Nesbit had several children. Her son, Paul Bland, was born in 1880. Her daughter, Iris Bland, was born in 1881. Fabian Bland was born in 1885. Rosamund Bland was born in 1886. Her last son, John Bland, was born in 1898.

Edith dedicated many of her books to her children. For example, The Railway Children was for Paul. The Book of Dragons was for Rosamund. The House of Arden and Five Children and It were for John.

Sadly, her son Fabian passed away at age 15 after an operation. Edith dedicated several books to him, including The Story of the Treasure Seekers. Her adopted daughter, Rosamund, even helped her write a book called Cat Tales.

E. Nesbit's grave in St Mary in the Marsh's churchyard. Her second husband, Thomas Terry Tucker, made the wooden grave marker.

Edith Nesbit's Writing Career

Becoming a Modern Children's Author

Edith Nesbit wrote about 40 books just for children. These included novels, story collections, and picture books. She also worked with other writers on many more books.

Many people consider Edith Nesbit to be the first modern writer for children. She changed how children's stories were told. Before her, many stories were about magical, faraway lands. Edith, however, wrote about real children in real places.

She showed that adventures could happen in everyday life. She also invented the children's adventure story.

Famous Books and Their Influence

Some of Edith Nesbit's most well-known books are The Story of the Treasure Seekers (1898) and The Wouldbegoods (1899). These books are about the Bastables, a family who faces some tough times.

The Railway Children is another very popular book. It was even made into a famous movie in 1970. The time-travel book, The Story of the Amulet, is also highly praised for its clever ideas.

Edith Nesbit's stories often mixed real-world settings with magic. Her characters were normal children who found magical objects. They would then go on exciting adventures, sometimes even traveling to fantasy worlds.

Her unique style influenced many later writers. Authors like P. L. Travers (who wrote Mary Poppins), Edward Eager, and J. K. Rowling (who wrote the Harry Potter series) were all inspired by her. C. S. Lewis, who wrote the Narnia series, was also influenced by Nesbit. He even mentioned the Bastable children in one of his Narnia books.

In 2012, Jacqueline Wilson wrote a new story called Four Children and It. This book was a sequel to Nesbit's Psammead trilogy.

Edith Nesbit's Legacy

Edith Nesbit's work continues to be remembered. Several places are named after her or her stories.

• The Edith Nesbit Walk is a path in Eltham, London. It is also a cycle path.
• In Lee Green, South East London, there are gardens called Edith Nesbit Gardens.
• A walking path in Grove Park, London, is named Railway Children Walk. This path celebrates her famous novel. A similar path is also in Oxenhope, which was used to film the 1970 movie.

Edith Nesbit's Works

Novels for Children

Bastable Series

• 1899 The Story of the Treasure Seekers
• 1901 The Wouldbegoods
• 1904 The New Treasure Seekers
• 1928 The Complete History of the Bastable Family (This book combines the three Bastable novels.)

Some more stories about the Bastables are in the 1905 collection Oswald Bastable and Others. The Bastables also appear in the 1902 novel The Red House.

Psammead Series

• 1902 Five Children and It
• 1904 The Phoenix and the Carpet
• 1906 The Story of the Amulet

House of Arden Series

• 1908 The House of Arden
• 1909 Harding's Luck

Other Children's Novels

Stories and Story Collections for Children

See also

In Spanish: Edith Nesbit para niños