Twelve of Shakespeare's greatest tales come to life in this entertaining collection of short, lively stories specially adapted for young readers. Capturing the vital events and using some of the original wording, the stories serve as a perfect introduction to Shakespeare for preteens and as literate refreshers for older folks.
Fulfilling a request from her own children, author Edith Nesbit turned twelve of the Bard's most famous plays into delightful tales of kings, queens, ghosts, and witches. Filled with tragedy, humor, and moral lessons, the stories -- told with wit and grace -- include Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, King Lear, As You Like It, Twelfth Night, The Merchant of Venice, The Tempest, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Cymbeline, The Taming of the Shrew, Pericles, and The Winter's Tale.
Wonderfully transformed by the noted author of children's books, these classics are a great way to start a lifelong interest in the works of Shakespeare.

William Shakespeare is arguably the most pivotal and widely read figure in the history of English literature. This comprehensive collection highlights some of the bard's best works, adapted to be more easily read and digestible for children.

Featured within are some of the bard's most famous and compelling works, including:

• The Comedy of Errors
• Hamlet
• Macbeth
• The Merchant of Venice
• Othello
• Romeo and Juliet
• The Tempest
• And many more

Paired alongside gorgeous classic illustrations by notable Golden Age illustrator Arthur Rackham, Beautiful Stories from Shakespeare for Children makes a magnificent gift and great addition to any young reader's budding library.

The Railway Children is the classic children's story by E. Nesbit. When Father is taken away unexpectedly, Roberta, Peter, Phyllis and their mother have to leave their comfortable life in London to go and live in a small cottage in the country. The children seek solace in the nearby railway station, and make friends with Perks the Porter and the Station Master himself. Each day, Roberta, Peter and Phyllis run down the field to the railway track and wave at the passing London train, sending their love to Father. Little do they know that the kindly old gentleman passenger who waves back holds the key to their father's disappearance. One of the best-loved classics of all time, with a wonderful introduction by Jacqueline Wilson. Edith Nesbit was a mischievous child who grew up into an unconventional adult. With her husband, Hubert Bland, she was one of the founder members of the socialist Fabian Society; their household became a centre of the socialist and literary circles of the times. E. Nesbit turned late to children's writing. Her first children's book, The Treasure Seekers, was published in 1899 to great acclaim. Other books featuring the Bastable children followed, and a series of magical fantasy books, including Five Children and It also became very popular. The Railway Children was first published monthly in the London Magazine in 1905, and published as a book in 1906, which has been in print ever since. Other children's books by E Nesbit: The Story of the Treasure Seekers; The Wouldbegoods; The New Treasure Seekers; Complete History of the Bastable Family; Five Children and It; The Phoenix and the Carpet; The Story of the Amulet; The House of Arden; Harding's Luck; The Railway Children; The Enchanted Castle; The Magic City; The Wonderful Garden; Wet Magic; Five of Us and Madeline

Elegant watercolors echoing the burnished gold tones of the rolling fields show well in storyhours. --School Library Journal

Jack can't seem to do anything useful for his poor mother. He can't even conduct an errand as simple as selling the cow; instead, he trades the beast for a handful of beans. But then, amazingly, those very beans sprout into a towering stalk, elevating Jack to a strange land ruled by a greedy giant. Jack must be clever and brave as he tries to return the giant's stolen treasures to their rightful owner. E. Nesbit's charming, wry retelling of Jack and the Beanstalk was first published in 1908. Preserving the author's unabridged text, this gorgeously designed edition features the dynamic artwork and dramatic perspectives of Matt Tavares, realized in full-color illustrations.

Everything that's happening to us--yes, everything--is to be regarded as a lark. See? This is my last word. This. Is. Going. To. Be. A. Lark.

It's 1919, and Jane Quested and her cousin Lucilla are pulled suddenly from school by their guardian, who sets them up in a cottage on the fringes of London and informs them (by letter, since he's already fled) that he's gambled away their inheritance but is leaving them the house and 500 to carry on with. Lucilla is disheartened, but Jane is certain it will be a lark.

With the help of a handsome man, a classic example of a capable woman, and a war veteran with a green thumb, the two unflappable young women set up a market garden, which develops into a guest house, which develops into--well, you'll have to read and see. It's true they have some difficulties as businesswomen, not to mention with housekeeping, but this is ultimately a tale fully living up to its title.

Forgotten for decades, despite Nesbit's fame as a children's author, her final novel for adults, first published in 1922, is a delight that's ripe for rediscovery. This new edition includes an introduction by Charlotte Moore.

An economy of phrase, and an unparalleled talent for evoking hot summer days in the English countryside.--Noel Coward

Dragons -- of all sorts -- make for marvelous fun, and this collection of madcap tales is filled with them. Some of the legendary monsters are funny and mischievous, others are downright frightening, and a number of them are wild and unpredictable. There's a dragon made of ice, another that takes refuge in the General Post Office, a scaly creature that carries off the largest elephant in a zoo, and even a dragon whose gentle purring comforts a tiny tot.
And who challenges these amazing creatures? Why, daring heroes, of course, as well as a wicked prince, and even an entire soccer team -- which, unfortunately, meets its fate with a fire-breathing brute that flies out of the pages of an enchanted book.
E. (Edith) Nesbit (1858-1924) was one of the pioneers of fantasy fiction for children. Her classic novels -- such as The Railway Children and Five Children and It -- have remained popular for more than a century. 24 illustrations.

Four of the five siblings from Five Children and It meet the Psammead again when they rescue it from a pet shop. Their dearest wish is to have their parents and baby brother return home safely from overseas. Guided by the Psammead they purchase a broken amulet which can take them back in time to find the missing piece. They visit several ancient civilisations and share adventures during their travels.

The Lark has all the charm and freshness which have made Nesbit's other novels so justly popular, and yet the story is entirely new and original.

Two girls, Jane and Lucilla, are led by Jane's guardian to entertain high hopes. The fortune, however, which Jane should have inherited, has been lost by unlucky speculations, and the two girls have to set about earning their own livings. They experience many adventures and ups and downs of fortune before they meet with the two men who they hope will ensure their happiness and prosperity.

This delightful story is an absolute joy, well worth reading.

This glorious collection of vintage children's stories by Edith Nesbit features all three books from the Psammead trilogy: Five Children and It, The Phoenix and the Carpet, and The Story of the Amulet.

The fantastical tales revolve around five children; Cyril, Anthea, Robert, Jane, and their baby brother known as The Lamb (named after his first word was 'Baa'). In the first story, the children discover a Psammead or Sand-Fairy while on holiday in the countryside. The fairy can grant the children one wish a day, resulting in many magical adventures, often with hilarious results.

The adventure continues in the two following stories, and with the aid of magical elements like a flying carpet and a time-travelling amulet, there's no shortage of mischievous antics for the three siblings.

Immerse yourself in a world of magic with these three classic children's stories by E. Nesbit brought back to life in this beautiful volume. Treasured for decades past and a perfect addition to any bookshelf, this edition by Read & Co. Books will bring joy to young and old readers alike.

In a magical collection that will capture the hearts of readers of all ages, E. Nesbit's The Book of Dragons is a treasury of eight enchanting dragon stories.

Written by the beloved author of The Railway Children, this short story collection celebrates one of mythology's most iconic creatures: the dragon. From playful and mischievous dragons to fearsome beasts guarding ancient secrets, this book is brimming with a thrilling sense of adventure. The Book of Dragons is a wonderful showcase of Nesbit's wild imagination and unmatched talent for writing stories that continue to delight generations of readers.

First printed in 1899, Read & Co. Children's has proudly republished this beautiful new edition, complete with a specially commissioned biography of the author. This short story collection is perfect for bedtime reading and would make the ideal gift for any dragon lover.



This volume contains the weird tales of the British writer E. Nesbit (1858-1924), who wrote two early collections of horror stories, Grim Tales (1893) and Fear (1910), while gaining celebrity with an array of books for children. But the weird attracted her throughout her career, and she devoted herself to such themes as the haunted house, the ghost, psychological terror, and even some ventures into proto-science fiction, in such celebrated tales as Man-Size in Marble and The Five Senses. Her weird work, long out of print, is now available again in this meticulously edited volume.

Editor's Note: The stories in this book have largely been taken from the collection Fear (1910); The Mass for the Dead is taken from Grim Tales (1893), while The Pavilion is taken from To the Adventurous (1923), as reflecting the author's late revisions to the tale. The uncollected stories are taken from their magazine appearances as specified in the bibliography. There have been several other collections of Nesbit's weird tales--E. Nesbit's Tales of Terror, edited by Hugh Lamb (Methuen, 1983), subsequently revised as In the Dark: Tales of Terror (Equation, 1988) and In the Dark (Ash-Tree Press, 2000)--and they include stories not included here; but in my judgment these tales are not genuinely weird.

The Classics of Gothic Horror series seeks to reprint novels and stories from the leading writers of weird fiction over the past two centuries or more. Ever since the Gothic novels of the late 18th century, supernatural horror has been a slender but provocative contribution to Western literature. Edgar Allan Poe, Ambrose Bierce, the Victorian ghost story writers, the titans of the early twentieth century (Arthur Machen, Algernon Blackwood, Lord Dunsany, M. R. James, H. P. Lovecraft), the Weird Tales writers, and many others contributed to the development and enrichment of weird fiction as a literary genre, and their work deserves to be enshrined in comprehensive, textually accurate editions.

S. T. Joshi, a leading authority on weird fiction, has done exactly that in establishing this series. Using scholarly resources honed over decades of wide-ranging research, he has assembled volumes featuring not only the complete weird writings of the authors in question, but exhaustive bio-critical introductions and bibliographical data.

I love E. Nesbit too, and I think I have learned a lot from her about how to write stories of this kind. C.S. Lewis

The six Bastable children used to be rich, but then their mother passed away and their father's business partner ran away with their money. Now the children must restore the fallen fortunes of their house by looking for treasure. Whether they are selling poetry, becoming bandits, making medicine, saving a rich old man from deadly peril, or even just digging for treasure, the Bastables must all learn something that's even more important than buried gold.

The Railway Children is the magical children's classic that has charmed readers for over a century. Follow the adventures of three siblings as they begin a new life in the countryside and discover the wonders of the railway behind their home.

After their father suddenly disappears, Bobbie, Peter, and Phyllis are forced to leave their London home and move to the countryside with their mother. Discovering the wonders of the railway behind their new cottage, the children take it upon themselves to solve the mystery of their missing father. Making friends with the station porter, Mr Perks, and the Old Gentleman who rides the train every morning, the siblings experience a bundle of escapades and close scrapes.

First published in 1906, E. Nesbit's brilliant novel has stood the test of time. An ideal read for fans of mystery and the magic of everyday adventures.

Five children move from London to rural Kent where they soon make an amazing new friend... the mystical creature known as the Psammead... A strange and mysterious creature, the Psammead has the ability to grant wishes to the children - but even the most fantastic wishes have the ability to go horribly wrong. The children enjoy some incredible adventures as their wishes are granted and they get to know their extraordinary new friend... E. Nesbit, author of the classic The Railway Children, wrote three books of amazing adventures in her Psammead series.

When Cyril, Anthea, Robert, Jane and their baby brother go digging in the gravel pit, the last thing they expect to find is a Psammead - an ancient Sand-fairy! Having a Sand-fairy for a pet means having one wish granted each day. But the children don't realize all the trouble wishes can cause . . . A timeless classic with an introduction by Quentin Blake, award-winning illustrator and first-ever Children's Laureate (1999-2001).

Edith Nesbit's natural gift for storytelling has brought her worldwide renown as a classic children's author. But beyond her beloved children's stories lay a darker side to her imagination, revealed here in her chilling tales of the supernatural.

Haunted by lifelong phobias which provoked, in her own words, 'nights and nights of anguish and horror, long years of bitterest fear and dread', Nesbit was inspired to pen terrifying stories of a twilight world where the dead walked the earth.

All but forgotten for almost a hundred years until In the Dark was first published in 1988, this collection finally restored Nesbit's reputation as a one of the most accomplished and entertaining ghost-story writers of the Victorian age.

With seven extra newly-discovered stories now appearing for the first time in paperback, this revised edition includes an introduction by Hugh Lamb exploring the life of the woman behind these tales and the events and experiences that contributed to her fascination with the macabre. The opening story, the unforgettable 'Man-Size in Marple', was adapted by Mark Gatiss as the BBC's Ghost Story for Christmas in 2024.

The Story of the Amulet is a 1906 novel for children by English author and poet Edith Nesbit. The final instalment in her famous Psammead series, it tells the tale of how Anthea, Cyril, Robert, Jane and the Lamb re-encounter the sand fairy, which is no longer able to grant wishes and instead advises the children about their new discovery: a magical Amulet which allows them to travel through time. The Story of the Amulet is a classic of children's literature not to be missed by those who have read and enjoyed other books in this wonderful children's trilogy. Edith Nesbit (1858 - 1924) was an English poet and author. She is perhaps best remembered for her children's literature, publishing more than 60 such books under the name E. Nesbit. She was also a political activist and co-founded the Fabian Society, which had a significant influence on the Labour Party and British politics in general. Other notable works by this author include: The Prophet's Mantle (1885), Something Wrong (1886), and The Marden Mystery (1896). Many vintage books such as this are becoming increasingly scarce and expensive. It is with this in mind that we are republishing this volume now in an affordable, modern, high-quality edition complete with a specially-commissioned new biography of the author.

Don't you think it's rather nice to think that we're in a book that God's writing? If I were writing the book, I might make mistakes. But God knows how to make the story end just right-in the way that's best for us. The Railway Children

When Mr. Waterbury is arrested and accused of selling secrets to the enemies of England, his wife and children have to leave London and move to a small house near a railway station. Bobbie, Phyllis, and Peter soon find themselves in a series of adventures, some funny and some frightening involving the train and the people who ride it. After many adventures, the children finally discover the truth about their father, but their quest to reunite their family won't be easy.

When Father goes away with two strangers one evening, the lives of Roberta, Peter and Phyllis are shattered. They and their mother have to move from their comfortable London home to go and live in a simple country cottage, where Mother writes books to make ends meet. However, they soon come to love the railway that runs near their cottage, and they make a habit of waving to the Old Gentleman who rides on it. They befriend the porter, Perks, and through him learn railway lore and much else. They have many adventures, and when they save a train from disaster, they are helped by the Old Gentleman to solve the mystery of their father's disappearance, and the family is happily reunited.

This glorious collection of vintage children's stories by Edith Nesbit features all three books from the Psammead trilogy: Five Children and It, The Phoenix and the Carpet, and The Story of the Amulet.

The fantastical tales revolve around five children; Cyril, Anthea, Robert, Jane, and their baby brother known as The Lamb (named after his first word was 'Baa'). In the first story, the children discover a Psammead or Sand-Fairy while on holiday in the countryside. The fairy can grant the children one wish a day, resulting in many magical adventures, often with hilarious results.

The adventure continues in the two following stories, and with the aid of magical elements like a flying carpet and a time-travelling amulet, there's no shortage of mischievous antics for the three siblings.

Immerse yourself in a world of magic with these three classic children's stories by E. Nesbit brought back to life in this beautiful volume. Treasured for decades past and a perfect addition to any bookshelf, this edition by Read & Co. Books will bring joy to young and old readers alike.