Review of "Five Children and It"

"Don't you know a sand-fairy when you see one?"

     E. Nesbit's Five Children and It is all about taking care in what you wish for. When Cyril, Anthea, Jane, Robert, and their baby brother "Lamb" discover a sand-fairy in the sand pit by their summer residence, they're thrilled--at least, once they figure out what it is. The Psammead is a grumpy little creature with the power to grant them one collective wish a day, whether it's making them rich or beautiful or ensuring the maids are oblivious. But the children soon discover that while the sand-fairy doesn't corrupt their wishes on purpose, the things they ask for have a very bad habit of turning out terribly, frightfully wrong.

     Though Nesbit's writing doesn't sweep his readers off their feet, his premise is delightful. Cyril, Jane, Robert, and Anthea are children who have been spoiled just enough for it to show in their personalities. Each is distinct and unpleasant in their own way, but they're also incredibly likeable--for their excitement, for their naïveté, and for their practicality. They're joined together by their love for the Lamb, which rings of truth in every scene, and their glee at their discovery of the Psammead. Though many of their wishes are silly, frivolous, or downright ridiculous, each one contributes to the gradual shaping of the children's true characters.

     There isn't much action in this book, but that isn't to say there isn't tension. Thanks to their wishes, the children are tossed from one frightful situation to the next, be it unrecognition by the servants or the possibility of losing their beloved Lamb forever. Together, they have to work out temporary solutions that will forestall all consequences until sunset, when the Psammead's spells wear off. Through this strife, the children draw closer to each other and grow in strength of character, though they'd never guess it.

     As the protagonists of Nesbit's little tale are children, there isn't much in the way of violence or profanity to be found. The only word worth noting is one woman's referral to another as a "s---" in passing, though that's never expounded on and may pass right by reader's noses.

     I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun, relatively short tale about the consequences of reckless choices. Nesbit's characters are interesting, unique, and fit their story well, and the trouble they get themselves into can be simultaneously worrying and funny. With good morals, plenty of humor, and a strong cast tossed in with his great premise and interesting plot, E. Nesbit's Five Children and It is a wonderful read that should definitely make its way onto every reader's "have-read" list. It deserves a solid, entertaining four stars.