![]() Of course, much of the story’s backdrop seems strange now. ![]() But with pluck and energy, and without the help of adults, the children make every situation turn out all right in the end. What follows are a series of clever adventures, in which the children either make ill-considered wishes that are granted immediately and literally by the Psammead, or well-considered wishes that the Psammead grants in a way calculated to undercut the point of the wish. The five children of the title move in nearby, and while digging in the pit for fun, discover the Psammead, who is a grumpy, borderline malevolent creature. ![]() It is the last of its kind, having burrowed into a Jurassic beach to protect itself from damaging water, and having slept there for eons while the sea receded, leaving behind a gravel pit. The frame of the story is clever, though-it features Nesbit’s original creation, a sand-fairy, the Psammead. The core moral of the story, that wishes when granted do not often provide the benefit sought by the wisher, isn’t new. On another level, it is a glimpse of upper-class child-rearing in Edwardian England, very interesting as social history to today’s adults, even with no children around. We read it to our own children to general acclaim. ![]() On one level, it is an outstanding and well-drawn children’s story. Five Children and It is a book that resonates on two levels. ![]()
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