Children's Classic Books discussion

The Railway Children by E. Nesbit
Published: 1906
First serialized in The London Magazine in 1905


Summary (Goodreads): "In this much-loved children's classic first published in 1906, the comfortable lives of three well-mannered siblings are greatly altered when, one evening, two men arrive at the house and take their father away. With the family's fortunes considerably reduced in his absence, the children and their mother are forced to live in a simple country cottage near a railway station ......"

I am in, but not till the middle of month.

Not a problem, Theresa. I still have to find my copy so I might be starting the middle of the month as well. In any case, glad to hear your comments when you do start!

I put this book on hold on my library network this afternoon, but it'll come from a different town since ours no longer has this. However, it doesn't usually take long for books to come if they're on the shelf because nothing is really far away in this corner of the state.

Has anyone begun The Railway Children yet? I just found my book but I have a little bit more I want to read of Great Expectations before I start, probably next week sometime.

Lol! I just saw your review, Jaylia, so I assume that you finished it. Glad to see that you liked it!

I just finished it and I really enjoyed it a lot! Definitely a feel good book, and the early 20th century setting made it interesting for me. It's not a long book so anyone who hasn't started yet probably still has plenty of time. Several chapters were suspenseful enough to keep me glued to the page.

I didn't read E. Nesbit as a child, but I did read several of her other novels as an adult, sometime before 2008 which was when I Joined GoodReads. (I've been an adult a long time.) I remember being enchanted by her writing and I still have the old paperbacks editions of her books I got back then.

Edward Eager--author of the Half Magic books which I did read and love when I was growing up--really admired Nesbit, which is why I decided to try Nesbit after rereading some of his books as a younger adult.

It might be time for me to do another reread of one of Edward Eager's books.

Eager's books are a lot of fun too.

I've started it, and am not quite halfway through. I'm enjoying it so far - I'm stumped as to what happened to the father, although the Russian may have been a clue. I don't know enough about European politics to know for sure yet. I do love how E. Nesbit writes about children.

I haven't started it yet and am not sure when this month I'll read it, but I have it here for when I am in the mood for a children's book :)

I will start it the end of this coming week.

I started and am liking it so far.

Yikes! I better get reading!!

Cleo wrote: "Yikes! I better get reading!!"

I am only on chapter 3.👍

I finished this one last week. From the title, I was expecting something more like The Boxcar Children (eg, children on their own), but it was still enjoyable. It didn't have the same magic for me as Five Children and It, but I did enjoy reading about the children and the mom, and even the old gentleman very much. Also Mr. Perks and the others from the station and the town. Glad for the happy ending!

I read this last night--that cast looks all the wrong ages! Phyllis was the youngest in the book and Bobbie only turned 12. It drives me bananas when people miscast like that. (I am using hyperbole using literary licence.)

I am sure I read it as a child but had forgotten all of it, so who knows? I've forgotten other books I read since, and I know this will come as a complete surprised and shock in a group like this, I was a book worm as a child. It was enjoyable, but of course their poverty wasn't dire (part of the reason it was fun.)

I finally started this reread yesterday! I remember the book being delightful, and I'm not disappointed so far.

For anyone who is interested, the Backlisted podcast did this book as one of the Christmas episodes. If you've never listened to Backlisted, it's a great podcast that features "forgotten" books. The episode is here:

https://www.backlisted.fm/episodes/15...

You can find the index here:

https://www.backlisted.fm/index

It hasn't been updated for a while - it only goes through episode 187 & they have released 214 episode. All of the episodes are available on Apple Podcasts, or on the linked website.

Anyway, back to the book. It feels just quintessentially British, doesn't it?

Christine PNW wrote: "I finally started this reread yesterday! I remember the book being delightful, and I'm not disappointed so far.

For anyone who is interested, the Backlisted podcast did this book as one of the Chr..."

Thank you for this. I am not quite done, and it is my first time reading, so I think I will wait till I am done reading it. I hope to finish tomorrow.

Thanks so much, Christine, for those links! The podcast looks great!

And yes, it is very British. I can't remember how many British children's books I've read where the father is off somewhere. I'm curious as to where their father is without his clothes as it's not war-time. I'm so enjoying this read. I think I had it mixed up with The Boxcar Children and expect this is so much better!

Cleo wrote: "Thanks so much, Christine, for those links! The podcast looks great!

And yes, it is very British. I can't remember how many British children's books I've read where the father is off somewhere. I'..."
Where he is and why his clothes are not with him will be revealed before the book is finished :)

I finished and I absolutely loved it! The children's adventures were riveting and their interactions towards each other were so believable as siblings.

I must admit I had to look up the paperchase game which sounds like lots of fun. And I thought the interactions the children had with the community was of so much more value than being locked in a schoolroom.

I didn't want this book to end. Thank you so much, Christine, for originally suggesting it. It's one of my book highlights of the year!

I liked it so much, I even wrote an extensive review on it, including photos. If anyone is interested in reading it, here it is: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Great review of my favourite Nesbit book!

Thanks, Rosemarie! I’m now a solid Nesbit fan!

I finished on Sunday and I am afraid I didn't love it as much as everyone else seems to. There were even chapters when I was thinking I wish this book would hurry and end already.

The first two chapters I was very excited because I thought for sure this was going to be a 5 star read for me. I didn't feel that way again till the last two or three chapters.

I didn't hate it but I give it a 3.5 and will round it up to 4 star.

Theresa wrote: "I finished on Sunday and I am afraid I didn't love it as much as everyone else seems to. There were even chapters when I was thinking I wish this book would hurry and end already.

The first two ch..."

I'm curious as to what you didn't like about it .....??

Cleo wrote: "I didn't want this book to end. Thank you so much, Christine, for originally suggesting it. It's one of my book highlights of the year!"

I'm so glad you enjoyed it! I am still reading it - I do plan to finish in the next day or so. But it's a favorite of mine, so I already know that I love it.

Cleo wrote: "Theresa wrote: "I finished on Sunday and I am afraid I didn't love it as much as everyone else seems to. There were even chapters when I was thinking I wish this book would hurry and end already.

..."
Hi Cleo, sorry it took a while to get back to you. Lots going on here.
It is not that I didn't like it. I did give it a 3.5 which in my opinion is likeable. 😊I thought the middle was slightly boring and repetitive. You know, they save mother, a baby and dog in a fire, boy in tunnel, the Russian, dad, huge birthdays, that sorta thing.

Thanks for explaining, Teresa. Perhaps it was the mood that I was in but I was transported to a simpler time and almost wished I was a child again.

Cleo wrote: "Thanks for explaining, Teresa. Perhaps it was the mood that I was in but I was transported to a simpler time and almost wished I was a child again."

I think if I had read it as a child I would have liked it much more. I still enjoyed it, but find myself comparing it to Pollyanna which I enjoyed much more.