Five Children & It by E. Nesbit

  

                                                             TO JOHN BLAND

                                                My Lamb, you are so very small,
                                             You have not learned to read at all.
                                            Yet never a printed book withstands
                                            The urgence of your dimpled hands.
                                             So, though this book is for yourself,
                                                Let mother keep it on the shelf
                                              Till you can read. O days that Pass,
                                              That day will come too soon, alas!*

And with this sweet dedication, Edith Nesbit begins her tale about five children and a Psammead (little wonder she refers to the creature as "it" in the title).  What is a Psammead, you might ask?  A Psammead is a Sand Fairy - a creature quite rare nowadays.

The five children are Cyril, Anthea, Robert, Jane, and the Lamb.  The four older children are the main protagonists, while the Lamb, their two year old brother, is a minor player in most of the adventures.  Another recurring character is Martha, a servant who takes care of the house and the Lamb.  The children's parents do not feature prominently in the story.

The children meet the Psammead (or Sammyadd, as they call him) on holiday in the country.  They are digging in the gravel pit - trying to reach Australia - when they unearth this strange, little creature.  The Psammead is not your typical fairy - sweet and with wings and a magic wand.  He is a small, furry creature, with "snail-like eyes."  He lives buried in the sand away from water, because water kills sand fairies.  As he tells the children, a long time ago people used to build sand castles for Sand Fairies.  The Psammeads enjoyed these delightful homes - until people began digging moats to go with the castles.

Just like beautiful fairies, the Psammead can grant wishes.  But his method is quite unorthodox.  He inflates himself and then lets out his breath.  Granting a wish exhausts the fairy and aggravates his already sullen nature.  The girls, though, treat him kindly.  In one touching scene, Anthea offers to let him sit in her lap to keep warm.  He does.  It's sweet, but I can't help but shudder at the thought of a warm, little, furry creature with "snail-like eyes" sitting in my lap.

The Psammead grants the children nine wishes over the course of the book.  Each wish turns into a misadventure as best and danger at worst.  But is it the children's naivety or the Psammead's sullen nature that causes the trouble?

I am a fan of E. Nesbit's books for children.  Her style is child-like.  She pictures things as children do and includes only the details that would appeal to children.  Her humor it witty and her tales imaginative.  She is very honest about the motives that drive us to do and act as we do.  I think it is this honesty that I particularly find real in her style of writing.

Her characters differ very little from story to story.  Anthea is quite like Bobby, from "The Railway Children", and Jane is just like Dora from "The Treasure Seekers."  The personalities alter little, but they are such fun to begin with that it makes little difference to me.  The pure, innocent fun is refreshing; the stories original; the setting always a delight.

I wish I had a first edition of this story - the cover is gorgeous.  But as the likelihood of finding a first edition of an E. Nesbit book is rare or way beyond the reach of my pocketbook, I found a very modern nice edition.  It is from the "Looking Glass Library", published by Random House.  It features the original illustrations by H.R. Millar.  Some may find the pictures outdated, but I love the Victorian artwork.

There are film adaptions of this story.  I haven't seen the 1991 BBC miniseries, but I did watch the 2004 version starring Freddie Highmore and Kenneth Branagh (in a very "un-Shakespearean" role).  The story is based during WWI, and tells the story of five children sent to the country because of the war.  Their father (Alex Jennings), is a pilot serving his country overseas.  The story has more of a feel of "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe," with Freddie Highmore's character a bit like Edmund Pevensie, as interpreted in the 2005 a film adaption of the C.S. Lewis classic.  However, the screenplay writers borrowed from Lewis; Lewis did not borrow from Nesbit.  I enjoyed this version, though it is nothing at all like the book, so I would not recommend it as a substitute to reading the original story.  I would like to see another adaption - one that tells E. Nesbit's story.

Five Children and It is the first in a trilogy.  The following works are The Phoenix and the Carpet and The Story of the Amulet.  Before I finished the book, I had logged onto the library's website and requested the sequel.  This may show you how much I enjoyed the story!  It's a tale for all ages, but whether all ages will enjoy it, I don't know.  If you enjoy the adventures, magic, and cleverness of "Peter Pan", "Winnie the Pooh", or any other E. Nesbit tale, you will not be disappointed in this choice.  After reading the story you may find yourself wondering If I were to unearth a Psammead, what would I wish for?

*Five Children and It.  Nesbit, E.  1902.

Silas Marner by Mary Anne Evans

     Gold.  Gold, glimmering in the firelight, is a lovely sight, but can it fill the deep longing all human beings have for companionship and belonging?
     In the rural English village of Raveloe lives a recluse weaver Silas Marner.  The villagers think he is mysterious and strange.  He has only lived in Raveloe fifteen years and he keeps to himself.  He is known to have unusual fits, and his eyes are large. 
     Falsely accused of stealing, Silas Marner finds refuge in Raveloe from his old church congregation.  Withdrawn from the world that has wounded him, Marner's only joy in life comes from selling his wares and counting his beloved gold coins.  It takes another robbery and a tragedy to bring the solitary man into a world of warmth, companionship, and hope.  And just when Silas Marner needs a miracle, a miracle comes to him and transforms his life forever.
     The old weaver, though, isn't the only person with troubles in Raveloe.  While Silas Marner is the main character, an interesting subplot revolves around the upper class Cass family: a subplot that frequently entertwines with the main one. 
     Squire Cass is Marner's landlord.  His pocket book is strained, and his two sons are also hard up for "ready cash."  Dunstin, the younger, gambles and drinks away his allowance, while Godfrey spends his in quite another fashion.  He is secretly married to a woman who lives in another town.  He has made a disgraceful alliance.  He is not proud of his wife and he cannot make his marriage known to anyone.  Dunstin knows of his brother's dilemma, and he uses this information to his advantage.  Godfrey spends his allowance secretly caring for his wife, a drunk, and their daughter and bribing his unscrupulous brother.  To make matters worse for Godfrey, he is in love with Raveloe's Nancy Lamiter.  Her father is well to do and his land borders the Cass's.  Mr. Cass is pressuring Godfrey to propose to Nancy, but Godfrey must miserably reject the very idea that would make him happy.
     Driven close to the breaking point and lacking moral courage, Godfrey recklessly agrees to let Dunstin take his horse to be sold to cover his debts.  Unreliable Dunstin makes several poor choices that eventually turn the entire tide of the story. 
     This tale is full of warm, colorful characters.  It is relatively short, compared to other works of literature of that day.  If you are unfamiliar with Victorian literature, I highly recommend this story as an introduction to this delightful genre.  Like Dicken's "A Christmas Carol," it is not long and it speaks to the heart. "Silas Marner the Weaver of Raveloe" is a tale of friendship, taking responsibility for a one's actions, and overcoming bitterness.

The Pearl of Orr's Island by Harriet Beecher Stowe

     A Story of the Coast of Maine.  
     Let us travel back in time - to the last days of the eighteenth century through the early days of the nineteenth century, to an island of the New England state Maine.  A young woman waits for the return of her husband, ship-master James Lincoln.  The woman's name is Naomi.  With her father Captain Zephaniah Pennel, she watches the ship draw close to land.  Suddenly, before their very eyes, the boat capsizes and sinks.  James Lincoln drowns.
     The tragedy throws Naomi Lincoln into labor.  That very day she gives birth to a girl, and then joins her husband in death.  Before she dies, Naomi names her daughter Mara, a Biblical name meaning 'bitter.'  Zephaniah and his wife Mary, a humble, God-fearing couple, raise their granddaughter in their small home on Orr's Island.  They are aided by the two spinster sisters Miss Roxy and Miss Ruey Toothacre, who figure prominently in the story.
     Mara is the sunshine of her grandparents' lives.  She is a blessing to them and lessens their ache at having lost both daughter and son-in-law.  She is different from most children.  Even as a very small child, she is quiet, pensive, yet cheerful.  Her dearest friend is Sally Kittridge, the daughter of Captain and Mrs. Kittridge.  They live a short walk away from Mara and her family.  Sally is several years older than Mara, but two enjoy playing together.  Captain Kittridge loves Mara, and he tells the girls wonderful stories - all exaggerated but nonetheless engrossing.  Mrs. Kittridge does not approve of her husband's yarns.  She is practical and serious.
     One night, when Mara is still a very little girl, she has a dream of a woman and a small boy.  The woman gives the boy to Mara and then disappears, leaving her child behind.  The next day, Mara and Sally play in the cove along the sea.  While they are playing, Sally finds a bracelet of hair with a lovely clasp.  Mara has a greater discovery: a woman on the beach, holding a small boy in her arms: Victims of a shipwreck.  The woman is dead, but the boy is alive.  No identification, beyond the bracelet, is found on the woman or her son.
     Zephaniah and Mary Pennel and Mara welcome the orphaned boy into their home.  They name him Moses, after the Biblical patriarch who, like the boy, was "drawn out of water."  The boy and girl become inseparable.  Mara takes the boy under her wing, becoming his guardian angel.  He grows up as Mara's brother and Captain and Mrs. Pennel's son.  He remembers nothing of his earlier life, being too young at the time of the shipwreck and his mother's death.
     The pastor of the parish is Rev. Theophilus Sewell.  He is a bachelor, and he lives with his sister, Miss Emily.  Miss Emily is a sweet lady and she adores her brother.  One evening Rev. Sewell and his sister visit the Pennels'.  Captain Pennel shows the hair bracelet and clasp, with the initials 'D.M,' to him.  It is the only link Moses has to his past.  Miss Emily notes a sudden, mysterious change that comes over her brother as he sees the hair bracelet and clasp.  When they return home, Rev. Sewell avoids her probing questions, and locks himself away in his room.
     Moses grows up into a rebellious, arrogant young man.  He admires Mara, a lovely young lady, but he little respects her, and he treats her unkindly.  He flirts with Sally Kittridge, now an independent, coquettish  young woman.  Mara, loving and loyal, has always loved Moses.  She suffers silently, yet remains true to her first and only love.
     Harriet Beecher Stowe's style in The Pearl of Orr's Island is, at times, conversational in tone.  She writes as a silent observer yet as part of her audience, addressing the reader with a familiar 'we' instead of the distant third person.  This mood is played to brilliance as she draws our attention to certain actions or away from certain moments.
     Although Mara was not one of my favorite characters in the story (until closer to the end), I loved Miss Roxy and Miss Ruey.  If you have seen the BBC mini-series Cranford, starring Eileen Atkins and Judi Dench as Miss Deborah and Miss Mattie Jenkins, you will see a striking resemblence in looks and temperament between these two sisters and Miss Roxy and Miss Ruey.
     My next favorite set of characters is Rev. Sewell and his sister Miss Emily.  Rev. Sewell is a refreshing change from the usual pastor-stereotype one finds in most books and films.  He is a character with depth and a surprising past.  He and Miss Emily have several humorous conversations.  Miss Emily is a kind soul, most likely the funniest character in the entire novel.
     I will warn you that the novel can crawl at times, but the story is intriguing.  At times I wanted to knock some sense into one character, and another time I wanted to shake a different character.  But when you care about the people in a story, you know that the author has beautifully created characters worthy of your attention.  

Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell

     Little Molly Gibson lives in the small English town Hollingford with her father, Dr. Gibson.  Her mother is dead, and she is her kind father's companion.  In spite of his busy occupation, Dr. Gibson is a devoted father, and the two share a very close bond.
     When Molly is a young girl, Miss Browning and her sister Miss Phoebe take Molly to the grand tea at Lord and Lady Cumnor's estate.  It is a very exciting event for Molly - her first tea at the Cumnor's.  During the festivities, Molly falls asleep.  She is found by one of Lady Cumnor's daughters and her governess, Claire Kirkpatrick.  Lady Cumnor's daughter takes pity on Molly and offers to let her rest in Claire's room.  The Misses Brownings, each thinking the other has their young charge, leave the tea and poor Molly. When she wakes up and comes downstairs, it is evening.  She eats with the children, but she does not enjoy her stay with nobility.  Dr. Gibson arrives and takes her home.
     The story jumps forward several years.  Molly is now a young lady, and she has a secret admirer - so secret that even she does not yet know it.  The young man is a medical apprentice of her father.  Dr. Gibson does not approve of him.  To derail the man's infatuation with his daughter, Dr. Gibson sends Molly to visit Hamely Hall.
     Hamely Hall is the home of Squire Hamley and his invalid wife.  They are good friends of Dr. Gibson, and Molly finds a second home here.  She spends most of her time with Mrs. Hamley.  Mrs. Hamley has two sons, both away at college.  The oldest is Osborne and younger is Roger.  Osborne is the favorite of both father and mother.  He is very talented and clever, and Squire Hamley has high hopes of his marrying well and restoring the failing fortunes of the family.  Roger is the quieter son and lives in the shadow of his brother.  After hearing Mrs. Hamley's high praise of Osborne, Molly eagerly looks forward to meeting him.
     Trouble visits the family when Roger arrives with the horrible and despairing news that Osborne has done badly in his exams and he will not receive a fellowship (this, if I remember correctly, was a recognition of his academic standing: he would have a position at the university, and he would receive a salary).  Molly tries to comfort Squire and Mrs. Hamley, but they are so disappointed in Osborne.  Squire Hamley especially so.
     Though she has become partial towards Osborne, Molly forms a friendship with Roger.  He is a naturalist and very smart.  He is not eloquent but sincere and kind.  She becomes like a sister to him, as she has become a daughter to Squire and Mrs. Hamley.
     Molly's happy world is shaken when her father tells her some startling news: he is going to remarry.  His choice of bride is the widow Mrs. Hyacinth Kirkpatrick, former governess to Lord and Lady Cumnor's children.  She was then called "Claire," and not Hyacinth.  Mrs. Kirkpatrick has one daughter, Cynthia.  She is studying in France and does not attend the wedding.  From the beginning, the new Mrs. Gibson changes the whole order of the life Molly once knew.  Mrs. Gibson is rather inconsiderate and self-serving.  These two flaws affect her entire character and how she interacts with her new step-daughter and family friends.
     When Mrs. Hamley's delicate health steadily worsens, Molly returns to her dear friend's side.  Roger and the disgraced Osborne are called home, and Molly finally has the pleasure of meeting the son and heir of the Hamley estate.  Molly likes him, but it is Roger with whom she is falling in love.  However, it takes Cynthia to realize this.
     Of all the changes taking place in her life, Molly enjoys having a step-sister the most.  Cynthia comes to live with the Gibsons’, and soon the two girls are close friends.  Cynthia is lovely and winsome, but she, like her mother, is self-centered and enjoys flirting.  Roger falls victim to her smiles and charm.  Too late does Molly realizes that she cares for Roger as more than just a brother.
     When Mrs. Gibson, who prefers Osborne to Roger, invites the young Hamley gentlemen to dinner, Molly accidentally overhears a secret the two brothers are guarding very carefully.  She promises to protect their secret, and, as time passes, Molly keeps another secret for someone else, a secret that nearly ruins her own reputation.
      Wives and Daughters is the last novel Elizabeth Gaskell wrote.  In fact, she died before finishing it.  I did not realize this until I came to the last page of the book.  I was greatly disappointed because I was enjoying myself immensely.  Fortunately, the novel was almost complete before her untimely death and you can guess how it ended.

Wives & Daughters

     If you enjoy Jane Austen's novels you will enjoy Wives and Daughters.  It deals slightly with the theme that gentlemen of higher rank should not marry below their station, and it portrays a strong bond between father and daughter which is reminiscent of the strong relationship between Elizabeth Bennett and her father.  Like Elinor Dashwood and Anne Elliot, Molly must face her romantic disappointments quietly as she watches another accept the attentions of the man she loves.  
     If you have seen BBC's miniseries of Wives and Daughters starring Justine Waddell, you will be surprised at how close it is to the novel.  Andrew Davies, the screenplay writer, kept very close to Gaskell's original tale, and I love Justine Waddell's portrayal of little Molly Gibson.  I highly recommend both the series and the book. 
     Not only is Wives and Daughters a delightful story full of terrific characters, it offers a peek into the life - culturally and socially - of early Victorians.  The novel is full of nuances to books, laws, and customs that the average 21st century reader knows little or nothing about.  I love history and for all those that do, I recommend the Penguin Classic edition of this book.  Penguin Classics offers a very detailed section at the back of the book to the explanation of these cultural and social references, providing the reader with a rich and complete understanding of this romantic tale.

Here is a link to the first part of the BBC miniseries: YouTube: Wives & Daughters

"Hours with Girls" by Mrs. Margaret E. Sangster

     I cannot take the credit for discovering this treasure.  My mother found it one day and thought it might interest me greatly.  It once belonged to my great-grandmother, Dora Lackner.  On the page leaf, in lovely, old-fashioned penmanship, is written 'Presented to Dora Lackner for learning Beatitudes  Sept. 29, 1900.' 
     "Hours with Girls" grants readers a unique chance to understand the culture and the ideals that shaped the young women of the late Victorian era.  Mrs. Sangster gives advice on such varied topics as dress, leisure time, friends, admirers, faith, and individuality.  Although some of the advice is a little out dated (such as the number of dresses a young lady should have), the majority of wise counsel is relevant to the twenty-first century young lady (such as time management).
     This small book sheds new light on a woman's role in Victorian America.  Mrs. Sangster encouraged girls not to be idle or simply wait to be married.  " . . . do not regard marriage as the only thing worth living for," she says.  "A happy marriage is indeed the crown of a woman's life, but many women live in a large, noble, and useful way, blessing all around them, and yet are never married."
     "Hours with Girls", published in 1881, is a wonderful and relatively easy read.  If you have read Jane Austen, this book will be a breeze!  
     Chapter topics include:  Self-Control, On Paying Your Way, Hospitality, Courage, Reading the Bible, Being Yourself, and Economy and Extravagance.