E. Nesbit

Edith Nesbit (August 15 1858 - May 4, 1924) was an English author and poet whose children's works were published under the asexual name of E. Nesbit. She wrote or collaborated on over 60 books of fiction for children, several of which were later turned into films.

Literature

Nesbit's literary output was tremendous. Writing by herself, she published about forty books for children: either novels or collections of stories. Collaborating with others, Nesbit published about as many more. Her children's books are known for being entertaining without turning didactic, although some of her earlier works, notably Five Children and It veered in this direction.

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According to her biographer Julia Briggs, Nesbit was "the first modern writer for children":

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" helped to reverse the great tradition of children's literature inaugurated by Carroll, MacDonald and Kenneth Grahame, in turning away from their secondary worlds to the tough truths to be won from encounters with things-as-they-are, previously the province of adult novels. "

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Briggs also credits Nesbit with having invented the children's adventure story. Among Nesbit's best-known books are The Story of the Treasure Seekers (1898) and The Wouldbegoods (1899), which both recount stories about the Bastables, a fictional family that Nesbit likely styled upon her own childhood family. Nesbit's children's writing also included numerous plays and collections of verse.

Related Topics:
The Story of the Treasure Seekers - The Wouldbegoods

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Nesbit also popularized a innovative style of children's fantasy that combined realistic, contemporary children in real-world settings with magical objects and adventures. In doing so, she was a direct or indirect influence on many subsequent writers, including P. L. Travers (author of Mary Poppins), Edward Eager, Diana Wynne Jones and many others including the author of the Harry Potter series, JK Rowling.

Related Topics:
P. L. Travers - Mary Poppins - Edward Eager - Diana Wynne Jones

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