
The Psammead Trilogy
Five Children and It, The Phoenix and the Carpet, The Story of the Amulet
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Narrated by:
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Cathy Dobson
About this listen
Edith Nesbit was to children in the early 20th century what J.K. Rowling is to today's young generation. Magic, mythical creatures, time travel, charms, words of power... Nesbit's stories have it all.
This recording is the complete collection of Edith Nesbit's Psammead series, comprising three captivating stories:
Five Children and It.The story begins when a group of five children - Robert, Anthea, Cyril, Jane, and their baby brother, the Lamb - move from London to the countryside of Kent. While playing in a gravel pit, they discover a rather grumpy, ugly and occasionally malevolent sand-fairy known as the Psammead who is compelled to grant one wish of theirs per day. The effects of each wish last until sundown. All the wishes granted to the children go hilariously wrong. When they wish to be beautiful, nobody recognises them and they are shut out of the house. When they wish to be rich, they get a stack of gold coins but nobody will take them. When they wish for wings they find themselves stuck on a tall tower at sunset. When they wish that their baby brother was older, he turns into a grown-up and bosses them about. When Robert wishes he was bigger than the baker's boy (who has beaten him in a scrap) he becomes eleven feet tall. There are many more adventures... but you will need to listen and find out for yourselves....
The Phoenix and the Carpet. This is the second story about Robert, Anthea, Cyril, Jane, and their baby brother, the Lamb - who live in London. One day their mother buys a new carpet for the nursery which mysteriously contains a stone egg. When the egg falls into the fire by accident, nobody can possibly imagine what adventures will be unleashed. The egg hatches the Phoenix who reveals that the carpet is in fact a magic wishing carpet, which will take the children on a rollercoaster ride of adventures, scrapes and mishaps. They end up stuck inside a tunnel with buried treasure, on a sunny Southern shore where their cook is made Queen of the Island, having tea with the Rania in India, and even when they are at home in Camden town they mysteriously and unexpectedly become the owners of an unfeasibly large number of cats.
The Story of the Amulet. The magic Psammead is back! This time the four children are stuck in London for the Summer, when they come across the Psammead (or wish-giving sand-fairy), imprisoned in a pet shop. They manage to free him, and he tells them where they can get hold of a magic amulet which will bring them their hearts' desire. Unfortunately when the amulet is secured, it is incomplete. They and the Psammead must travel back into ancient history to see the part of the amulet which was lost. The children experience one breathtaking adventure after another in Babylon, Egypt, the lost city of Atlantis, Tyre...
©1905 Public Domain (P)2013 Red Door AudiobooksJust like story time at school in mrs Z.H.’s class.
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the narrator perfectly matched the tone and language of the time.
I'll never be too old for these books as the childlike imagination of the early 1900's give me the warm fizzles lol,
a very easy listen , would 100% recommend
10/10
fantastic
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Cornerstone of Children's Literature
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dated
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Love this story
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I am not sure what children's play consists of nowadays, but the adventures of E Nesbit's children in these three books (and her others) are not wildly dissimilar to those experienced by myself as a young girl (minus the Psymiad, magic carpet and Pheonix you understand. Alas).
Whenever I read any of her books, I am transported to the Victorian/ Edwardian era, a cozy and comforting world of nurseries, afternoon teas and the rustle of petticoats. Am I romanticising this period in history? Absolutely and unapologetically! Allowing myself to dwell in this world of literay escapism is like a balm to my soul.
If you are unfamiliar with 'The Treasure Seekers' trilogy, I highly recommend it. Those three are my favourite Ms Nesbit characters and stories (wittily narrated by one of the children). I also have 'The Red House' an adult novel, and that is wonderful, too.
Sadly, I found Ms Dobson's narration to be beyond irritating. She has the strangest inflection where each last word is drawn out to an almost melodic degree. It is so off-putting, and jars horribly with the whole feel of the stories. I unfortunately could not continue listening past the second book, and throughout the first two entertained most uncharitable thoughts towards the narator. I see that other reviewers disagree with me on this, a⁸7 7nd find Cathy Dobson to be perfectly suited to the feel of these novels. I personally could never listen to another novel read by Ms Dobson, and I would advise you to listen to the preview before purchasing the title. For a diametrically opposed reading of sheer brilliance, Simon Prebble gives an outstanding performance in the aforementioned 'The Treasure Seakers' should you care to listen.
Certainly not just for children.
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Enjoyable
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Ruined by the performance
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One of my all time favourites listened to it more than five times
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cannot bear the narration
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