The Magic World facts for kids
The Magic World is a wonderful collection of twelve short stories written by E. Nesbit. It was first published as a book in 1912. The book includes cool drawings by H. R. Millar and Gerald Spencer Pryse. These stories first appeared in magazines like Blackie's Children's Annual. They are known for being clever, magical, and a bit funny, which is typical of Nesbit's writing for kids.
Contents
The Magical Stories Inside
This book has twelve exciting tales. Each one takes you on a different adventure.
Adventures with Animals
Some stories in The Magic World feature animals in special ways.
"The Cat-hood of Maurice"
A boy named Maurice is not kind to the family cat. He then gets to experience life as a cat. This helps him understand how animals feel.
"Kenneth and the Carp"
A boy is wrongly accused of something. He turns into a fish and uses this change to prove his innocence.
"The White Cat"
A boy discovers a small china ornament in his attic. It turns out to be a magical charm that brings adventure.
"Belinda and Bellamant"
Princess Belinda and Prince Bellamant are under curses. A talking bat helps them solve their problems.
Journeys to Other Worlds
Other stories take characters to amazing, secret places.
"The Mixed Mine"
Two boys find a magic spyglass. They use it to discover hidden treasures and become very rich.
"Accidental Magic"
Quentin falls asleep on a special stone at Stonehenge. He wakes up in the legendary lost city of Atlantis.
"The Princess and the Hedge-pig"
King Ozymandias and Queen Eliza try to secretly christen their daughter, Princess Ozyliza. They want to avoid a curse from a wicked fairy. But things do not go as planned.
"Septimus Septimusson"
Septimus is special because he is the seventh son of a seventh son. This means he can see fairies and hear animals talk. He must go on a quest to find his fortune.
"Justnowland"
Elsie visits a magical land. In this land, she meets giant crows and even a dragon.
"The Aunt and Amabel"
A girl named Amabel finds a magic world. She enters it through a wardrobe, leading to a fantastic journey.
Stories of Courage and Kindness
These tales show how characters grow and learn important lessons.
"The Related Muff"
A sensitive boy is called a "muff" by his cousins. This means they think he is weak. But he proves himself to be a hero when a difficult situation arises.
"The Magician's Heart"
An evil magician causes trouble by giving curses at royal baby christenings. This leads to many exciting and complicated events.
Influence on Other Writers
E. Nesbit's stories have inspired many other famous authors.
Narnia and Atlantis
The story "The Aunt and Amabel" is thought to have influenced C. S. Lewis. His first Narnia book, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, also features a magic world found through a wardrobe. "Accidental Magic" may have even influenced J. R. R. Tolkien, another famous fantasy writer.
Alice in Wonderland
Nesbit's story "Justnowland" was inspired by Lewis Carroll's famous book Alice in Wonderland. You can see similarities in the way characters enter strange, new worlds.
Themes in the Stories
Nesbit often included important messages and common ideas in her tales.
Gardening Adventures
Nesbit's young girl characters sometimes get into trouble with gardening. For example, Elsie in "Justnowland" pulls up turnip plants, thinking they are weeds. Amabel tries to plant cut flowers from a greenhouse into a garden bed.
Talking Animals and Kindness
Many stories in this collection feature talking animals. Some characters even change into animals. These parts often teach about being kind to animals and avoiding mistreatment. The very first story, "The Cat-hood of Maurice," clearly shows the importance of being good to animals.
Memorable Quotes
Here are some fun and thoughtful lines from The Magic World:
- "Dr Strongitharm's was a school for 'backward and difficult boys.' Need I say more?" — from "The Cat-hood of Maurice"
- "There is no moral to this story, except...But no – there is no moral." — from "The Mixed Mine"
- "But it's no good. King's sons aren't what they used to be. A silly lot they are nowadays, all taken up with football and cricket and golf." — from "Septimus Septimusson"
- "And Sep and his dear Princess are as happy as they deserve to be. Some people say we are all as happy as we deserve to be – but I am not sure." — from "Septimus Septimusson"
- "There is nothing more luxurious than eating while you read – unless it be reading while you eat. Amabel did both: they are not the same thing, as you will see if you think the matter over." — from "The Aunt and Amabel"
- "We are The People who Understand. And now you are one of Us." — from "The Aunt and Amabel"
- "And the house was surrounded by a real deep moat, with clear water in it, and long weeds and water-lilies and fish – the gold and the silver and the everyday kinds." — from "Kenneth and the Carp"
- "And so the story ends with love and a wedding, and showers of white roses." — from "The Magician's Heart"
