Five Children and It Book Review

There are certain books that I remember reading as a child and one of those books is the classic Five Children and It by the wonderful author E. Nesbit. I think one of the reasons that this story sticks in my mind is because of the TV programme and then the film in 2004 with Eddie Izzard voicing the psammead.

Now Alma books have released a newer version of the tale that many have come to know and love and I'm so pleased that I get to share a piece of my childhood with my kids.

When Cyril, Anthea, Robert, Jane and their baby brother start exploring a gravel pit not far from their new countryside home, they make an unexpected and very curious discovery. The gravel pit is home to a Psammead, a sand fairy. This ugly creature has eyes like a snail, ears like a bat and a body of a spider, and is very grumpy indeed. He grants the children one wish, every day, and though they are excited to have all their desires fulfilled, they soon realize that having one's wishes come true can have unexpected consequences...

This version of the book contains extra material for young readers which includes a profile of the author, a section on the book, a list of characters and a bonus test-yourself quiz as well as a glossary at the back of the book to help explain the words that children probably won't know the meaning of.

With the wonderfully playful illustrations from Ella Okstad at the beginning of every chapter, this story is one that will soon come to life in your child/ren's imaginations. 

Here is what my 11 year old had to say about the book :

My mum has mentioned this book to me before and after watching the film with my sisters I was excited to read the book when it arrived. My mum was right, it really is a good story. It was exciting and adventurous and it got me thinking about what I might wish for, I think a holiday to Disney World would be good right now!

I would definitely recommend that others read this book, after reading it I can see why my mum enjoyed it, I've already told my sisters that they need to read it too.

What has always been intriguing about Five Children and It is the premise that the children are essentially responsible, for both causing problems and resolving them. I guess what I like now from a parent perspective is that it makes a child think about their actions and the consequences that come with them.

Five Children and It is a novel that has certainly stood the test of time. It is entertaining and the dialogue is as witty as it is charming. Definitely a book that you need to have on your book shelf.