It's hard for me not to love books for children that employ charming language to tell engaging stories. Published in 1901, it is not a perfect fit for contemporary children. I did read it to a child, but I used many of the opportunities it presented to discuss gender bias. There was also a story included about a little blonde, blue-eyed princess who wore all white clothes. We talked about how authors use descriptions of characters physical appearances to try to communicate about their personalities and that these descriptions often play on biases that readers and writers might not even know they have. We made up new descriptions for some of the characters and had some good conversations. Overall, it was worth a read but might be best to read aloud together with a child or to read side-by-side.

Edith Nesbit's collection of stories is witty and original, with imaginative and creative story lines. However, it was first published in 1901, and good gracious, it is dated. There are SO many casual references to the boys being adventurous and strong and brave, while the girls are flighty and vapid and shallow.
The stories here are indeed quite good, but the language and bias against girls must be taken in the context of the time in which it was written.

Edith Nesbit's collection of stories is witty and original, with imaginative and creative story lines. However, it was first published in 1901, and good gracious, it is dated. There are SO many casual references to the boys being adventurous and strong and brave, while the girls are flighty and vapid and shallow.
The stories here are indeed quite good, but the language and bias against girls must be taken in the context of the time in which it was written.

Eight short stories, each with a different dragon, obey the familiar fairy tale formulas with some modern (circa 1900) twists. The dragons are menacing and destructive, but they are also simple and easily outwitted by each tale's child (or childlike) hero. Silly and ever so slightly subversive, the stories promise good fun as read-alouds. Nesbit's chatty style was a great influence on C.S. Lewis when he wrote the Chronicles of Narnia series; here, you can experience the charm of the original.