The Railway Children

I would definitely recommend and buy more book from this writer

This is an enjoyable and somewhat touching but not sentimental and tear-jerking story of three young children and their mother, who have to move from London to live in a small town near a small railway station when the father is suddenly "taken away". Besides the three children and their mother, the other main characters in the story are the railway station, a railway tunnel, the daily 9.15 am train, an old gentleman who travels first class on it everyday, the station master, the linesman, the only porter at the station and a local doctor. Edith Nesbit (who was one of the founders together with George Bernard Shaw and others, of the Fabian Society in England, that was the forerunner of the Labour Party) has presented in the story wonderful world of children that comprises siblings' love for one another and for their mother, siblings' rivalry and squabbles, the mother's fortitude to face adverse times and take care of her children, children's awareness that something is amiss with the father's sudden departure but exercise of discretion in not asking the mother probing questions only because they would make her feel sad, the children's ability to accept changed circumstances and make the most of it, and entertaining themselves by playing near the station and befriending the station master and the porter. The end of the story is a happy relief to the family and readers. First published in 1906, the book is eminently readable even after 100 years. The language is current and not old English. The book is rated among the top 50 children's books in the UK. Indian children in the 12 - 16 years age group will enjoy reading this book so will adults (like me) who like to read children's story books and relive their childhood years. The book whose cover page is shown here has a small print. The same book published by Vintage Classics and Puffin Classics has better quality of paper and larger print, which is easy for children to read.

I bought this book mainly on whim, and I am so glad I did. It is beautiful book, with a wonderful storyline. Losing 1 star only for not up to the mark packaging.

I'm very happy with the book. The page quality is also very nice. Liked the book.

Nice book but don’t size is small

High price

Pirated copy

My daughter loved it

Great Classic. I bought it for the children at school but although it's a good book they found the small text difficult to read. I read the book from my kindle which I found easier, so did the children because they could alter the size of the text.

A story that dives straight into the action. Great for kids! Book was delivered a day after the order was placed.

Todo perfecto. Como de costumbre. 👍🏽

I neither remember reading this as a child, nor do I remember seeing the TV or film adaptations, though the story was extremely familiar – and, as I have a clear image of Jenny Agutter seeing her missing father, and wringing the withers of the viewer with a line which is in the book, causing the image to surface, as I read, I can only assume I did read, did see, or both I came to this reading belatedly on the back of a marvellous book for adults, covering a similar territory – Helen Dunmore’s Exposure. That book clearly references this one – 3 children, 2 girls and a boy, a father working within Government, a secret disgrace, manipulated, innocence wronged, and trains an integral background, Dunmore’s book was set in the early 60’s, and this one by Nesbit in 1905. Obviously Nesbit was writing for children, and it is the three children in this one who occupy centre stage – they are the catalysts for all events – whereas Dunmore was most focused on the husband and wife, but, still, what struck me was an optimistic innocence in the Nesbit. This is, in the end a feel-good book. There isn’t an unpleasant character within it – and even ones which might seem, on first meeting them, to be aggressive and unpleasant – like a bargee, are only waiting to have events transpire which reveal their humanity. Though this does not have the goody goody children of much ‘improving’ fare for Victorian children – Nesbit had, after all, a rather complex, progressive character – she was a co-founder of the Fabian Society, did not marry her first husband till she was seven months pregnant, and ended up adopting the two children he had with his mistress – Nesbit’s good friend – there is a strong moral sense that everyone can be, and wants to be, ethical. The three children argue and fight, and struggle to swallow their pride and apologise. They sometimes do wrong things – steal coal, because they are cold and poor, but are lucky enough to find that acknowledging their wrongdoing leads to kindly forgiveness. Lots of opportunities for heroics present themselves, and the children prevent a railway crash, rescue someone with a broken leg in a train tunnel, save a baby from burning, and unite a community. The book is a remarkably uplifting and moral one – but it is not the morality of ‘know your place’ or pious god-fearing, but can clearly be connected to Nesbit’s political consciousness. I was also struck by the ‘reality’ of the book – this was not a book set in a fantasy world, but one set ‘in reality’. The children are children of a middle-class family but for reasons which we learn as the book progresses (I suspect adults would immediately leap to the correct conclusions) the family have fallen on hard times, and it is the mother who has to earn money to put food on the table. The children and their mother struggle over their ‘hard times’ – but they get through by supporting each other. Even the youngest child contributes. If there is ‘unreality’ it is only because (or is that just my cynicism) not everyone so clearly chooses to be progressive, enlightened and morally working for the common good as Nesbit’s characters all do. “I think everyone in the world is friends if you can only get them to see you don’t want to be UN-friends” “Perhaps you’re right,” said Mother, and she sighed It is, of course ‘only’ a book : one I enjoyed immensely, one with a lot of engaging humour, one very well constructed, one full of hope and positivity – but I kept thinking that Peter, the young boy, brave and sometimes impetuous, ‘in real’ would have no doubt become trench fodder in 1914 : I was very aware, reading this, that it came out of a sense of progressive hopefulness that events of 1914-1918 rather destroyed, and I suspect this book could not have been written 10 years later

Back in June 2016, I worked with Chaperhouse Theatre Company in Lincoln, UK, and I was given the opportunity to see a dress rehearsal of the adaptation of the novel by BBC writer and playwright Laura Turner, right before the actors started their tour of UK and Ireland. I was absolutely stunned by the adventures of the Railway Children. It is not only for children. I'm 23 and identify with the eldest child. The words are simple and have a powerful meaning. I study English literature and translation in France and, to be honest, I love this novel. It is filled with hope, friendship and love. Everyone should read it.