Scan barcode
A review by nonabgo
The Railway Children by E. Nesbit
4.0
Lovely, just lovely all the way through. I needed this in my life right now, I always take refuge in children's books when times are tough.
These children, who make the best of what they have after their family lost everything, and invent games, make friends and have adventures while eating bread and butter or bread and jam, but not bread with butter and jam, gave me a bit of much needed lightness for a few hours.
The book is funny, pure, heart-warming and an absolute delight. I loved, loved the poems to bits! Yes, it's a children's book, but I believe it can be read by all ages. The adventures they have kept me on edge and there's a lot of emotion running through this little book. Bobbie, with her precociousness and ability to empathize with people's feelings much more than a lot of adults these days, has become one of my favourite characters in literature.
It's a story about siblings, about family and friendship, but also about overcoming adverse times without losing your spirit. The characters might be a bit cardboard, Phyllis especially, but they are meant to be understood and related to by children, not dissected by adults.
Would I recommend it for small children? Maybe not, unless some things are very well explained to them (there's some dangerous adventures they embark on, which ay be easily copied by kids — Peter, Roberta and Phyllis play on railway tracks on occasion, and there's a bit of misogynism, as were the times). But I definitely had lots of fun with it and it filled my heart with joy.
These children, who make the best of what they have after their family lost everything, and invent games, make friends and have adventures while eating bread and butter or bread and jam, but not bread with butter and jam, gave me a bit of much needed lightness for a few hours.
The book is funny, pure, heart-warming and an absolute delight. I loved, loved the poems to bits! Yes, it's a children's book, but I believe it can be read by all ages. The adventures they have kept me on edge and there's a lot of emotion running through this little book. Bobbie, with her precociousness and ability to empathize with people's feelings much more than a lot of adults these days, has become one of my favourite characters in literature.
It's a story about siblings, about family and friendship, but also about overcoming adverse times without losing your spirit. The characters might be a bit cardboard, Phyllis especially, but they are meant to be understood and related to by children, not dissected by adults.
Would I recommend it for small children? Maybe not, unless some things are very well explained to them (there's some dangerous adventures they embark on, which ay be easily copied by kids — Peter, Roberta and Phyllis play on railway tracks on occasion, and there's a bit of misogynism, as were the times). But I definitely had lots of fun with it and it filled my heart with joy.