Order from a Major Online Bookstore
Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine
Save Your Time And Money
| AnyBook4Less.com | Order from a Major Online Bookstore |
|
| Home | Store List | FAQ | Contact Us | | ||
| Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine Save Your Time And Money |
||
 |
Title: The Railway Children (Penguin Readers, Level 2) by E. Nesbitt, Nesbitt ISBN: 0-582-41790-2 Publisher: Pearson ESL Pub. Date: 15 February, 2000 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $7.93 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.58 (19 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: Pray for all prisoners and captives
Comment: The Railway Children is a wonderful book. When the book begins, the three children, Roberta (Bobbie), Peter and Phyllis are living a lovely, secure life at Edgecomb Villa. Their father returns home after being away on business, two unknown men come to visit him in the evening after supper, and he simply disappears. Neither the reader nor the children know what has happened to him until Bobbie makes a chance discovery and learns the horrible truth.
In the intervening time, their mother, a capable and charming woman, takes her children to live in the country near a railway station, because they must "play at being poor for a while." The children handle their new situation with grace and wit, spending hours hanging about the railway station and generally keeping themselves busy, and in the process becoming fast friends with the porter, Perks, and the station master. They also become acquainted with their own old gentleman who lends a hand to help them time and again.
Bobbie is the oldest and sweetest of the children, with a longing to be truly good. Peter is the boy, who is madly in love with trains, stubbornly refuses to pushed around, and exhibits an extraordinary courage in the rescue of a baby and a young man in a train tunnel. Phyllis is the youngest, a funny, clumsy child with good intentions that often seem to go awry.
I read this book to my four year daughter. She loved it. As the adult, I enjoyed reading it. And, you'll be happy to know, it all comes out right in the end.
Rating: 4
Summary: Family values with Edwardian charm
Comment: This sentimental favorite children's book has the moral values of E. Nesbitt, who was a famous liberal activist in England. She creates a household utopian vision of a world where people are naturally good and where parents raise their children to be helpful and honest and brave.
This provides the background charm for a really lovely tale about a family in distress who sticks together bravely and provides a shining example to all around them, while being aided by equally high-minded and kind folks around them.
A knock on the door at the idyllic middle class town home of the children ends with a tragedy that they can scarcely understand. But Mother is brave and despite rumors of terrible things, they make their way to a more modest home in the country, next to a railway line. The children become friends with the trains and the regular commuters who wave at them. Their fascination with the train results in a heroic rescue. Meanwhile, their situation is sometimes difficult, and they develop some remarkable strategies for getting aid. There is a happy ending.
The morals taught to the children are particularly British (helpful, kind, brave) but certainly apply to us as well. The goodness that the children spread is really a lovely message and contributes to the charm and longevity of this great favorite. Good for reading aloud.
Rating: 5
Summary: Stands up
Comment: It would be tempting these days to dismiss Nesbit's Edwardian chestnut as sappy and sentimental; however, upon rereading it, I find this is simply not the case. Sure, there is innocent charm aplenty in this tale of three children whose father is mysteriously called away. The family (Roberta, the eldest girl and main character, Peter, and Phyllis) go with their mother to live in the country, and while mother tries to make ends meet by writing stories, the children explore the area, make friends with people at the train station and on the passing train, and involve themselves in a couple of daring rescues. Each chapter is like its own little adventure, but always there lingers the question of where has father gone, and how will the family pull through its crisis. Sunny the author's outlook may be, but it is not sentimental, as evidenced when the children throw a surprise party for Perks the porter and he is angered rather than glad, fearing they do it our of charity. The children fight amongst themselves, and worry, and fret, like real children of that or any era might. Throughout the story, the reader comes to enjoy this country town and its cast of ordinary but amusing characters. The story's ending is actually very moving in its simple way. A classic.
 |
Title: Five Children and It (Puffin Classics - The Essential Collection) by H. R. Millar, Edith Nesbit ISBN: 0140367357 Publisher: Puffin Pub. Date: December, 1996 List Price(USD): $4.99 |
 |
Title: The Enchanted Castle (Puffin Classics) by Edith Nesbit ISBN: 0140367438 Publisher: Puffin Pub. Date: July, 1995 List Price(USD): $4.99 |
 |
Title: The Phoenix and the Carpet by H. R. Millar, Edith Nesbit, Patricia MacDonald ISBN: 014036739X Publisher: Puffin Pub. Date: August, 1996 List Price(USD): $4.99 |
 |
Title: The Story of the Treasure Seekers (Puffin Classics) by Cecil Leslie, Edith Nesbit ISBN: 0140367063 Publisher: Puffin Pub. Date: February, 1996 List Price(USD): $4.99 |
 |
Title: The Story of the Amulet (Puffin Classics) by H. R. Millar, Edith Nesbit ISBN: 0140367527 Publisher: Puffin Pub. Date: August, 1996 List Price(USD): $4.99 |
Thank you for visiting www.AnyBook4Less.com and enjoy your savings!
Copyright� 2001-2021 Send your comments
