The Edith Nesbit Library

In which the sunny town of Messina becomes a lively stage for masked ball intrigues, merry banter, and schemes of love and jealousy among princes and gentlefolk. The dance of words and hearts begins with playful deceptions and earnest hopes, setting gentle souls on unexpected paths through honour and mistaken trust.

In which two proud and wealthy families in Verona nurture an ancient quarrel that turns a grand feast into a scene of hidden love and secret vows. In the stillness of a moonlit garden, young hearts meet and pledge themselves against the odds, while friends and foes prepare unwittingly for the sorrows to come.

In which an ageing king decides to divide his kingdom among his three daughters according to their declarations of love, leading to a grim unraveling of family bonds and loyalty. Through honest and overheated professions, the nature of true affection and filial duty is gently explored amidst the turmoil and tragedy that follow.

In which the Duke of Illyria pines for a noble lady who shuns his love, while a shipwrecked maiden, disguised as a youth, becomes his confidante and reluctant messenger to the lady herself. Amidst a tangle of mistaken identities, quarrelsome admirers, and quiet yearnings, the tender intricacies of affection begin to unfold in Illyria's gentle sunshine.

In which a young lady named Rosalind, forced to leave her father’s court, disguises herself and journeys into the Forest of Arden with her cousin Celia, where they live as shepherds and encounter the loves and trials of those around them. Amid the fresh and gentle woodland scenes, friendships and secret affections blossom quietly, weaving a tender tale of loyalty, courage, and the playful disguises of youth.

In which a jealous king's mistrust plunges his household into sorrow and separation, while a lost princess grows up unaware of her noble birth beneath the wide Bohemian skies. Gentle fate weaves their lives towards a hopeful reunion, touched by kindness, repentance, and the tender workings of time.

In which a learned duke, trusted and betrayed by his own brother, is cast away with his young daughter upon a mysterious island inhabited by enchanted spirits and strange creatures. Through the gentle weaving of magic, love, and forgiveness, old grievances begin to unravel amidst the marvels of the island’s otherworldly charm.

In which two Athenian lovers, Hermia and Lysander, flee into a wooded glade filled with merry and mischievous fairies, whose own quarrelsomeness and enchantments cause wild confusion amongst the mortals. Through moonlit glades and fairy tricks, a tangled web of affection and folly unfolds, leading to resolution beneath the leafy boughs as dawn draws near.

In which we learn of Shakespeare's early life, his move to London, and his beginnings as a dramatist adapting older plays, all set against the bustling backdrop of Stratford and the theatre world. The narrative gently reflects on his family, the respect he garnered amongst his peers, and the memorial that commemorates his resting place.

In which the reader is introduced to the enduring wisdom and beauty of Shakespeare's works, celebrated for their moral clarity and poetic grace that continue to enrich imaginations near and far. The story then turns to the early life of William Shakespeare, sketching the varied spellings of his name, the respectable standing of his family, and the solid education that laid the foundation for his extraordinary talents.

In which a diligent King Alban, adorned only in white and devoted to the well-being of his people, finds his quiet reign challenged by the arrival of his colourful and exuberant brother Negretti, who quickly wins the crowd with dazzling spectacles and loud merriment. Amidst magical rivalry and shifting loyalties, the story reveals tender moments of love and the quiet triumph of steadfast goodness over gaudy showiness.

In which a boy named Edwin wrestles with his arithmetic sums, only to find that the answers come to life in the most extraordinary and troublesome ways, guided by a radiant Arithmetic Fairy who visits him between lessons. Through playful misadventures in numbers and the charming presence of this fairy, Edwin learns that mathematics holds a curious magic far beyond mere schoolwork.

In which Rosamund and Fabian, left alone on Christmas Eve with strict instructions, discover enchanting miniature soldiers and construct wondrous towns from books and blocks in their library, leading to extraordinary adventures within these magical creations. Their curious play transports them into towns nested within towns, filled with tiny, lively soldiers and mysterious creatures, blurring the lines between reality and imagination in a gentle, whimsical world.

In which a select boarding school for royal daughters encounters extraordinary visitors and mystifying disappearances, leading to an extraordinary adventure involving enchanted apples and unorthodox magic. Through a series of peculiar events, princes and a wise schoolmistress navigate a curious landscape of lost princesses, ancient laws, and enchanted orchards, all under the watchful eye of a strangely obliging bulldog.

In which a princess is born bald by the malice of forgotten fairies and later blessed with golden hair that grows uncontrollably, bringing both wonder and woe to her kingdom. With the aid of a clever prince and a touch of fairy wisdom, she navigates her peculiar predicament until balance and happiness are finally restored.

In which a prince’s christening sparks gifts and curses from fairies, leading to a peculiar prophecy about his marriage to a kitchen-maid and a mysterious lady with four feet and no hands. Amidst royal intrigues, secret love, and magical transformations, loyalty and courage guide the prince and his beloved through enchantments and peril toward an unexpected and joyous resolution.

In which young Tony of the peculiar town of Antioch discovers a mysterious prophecy concerning the Blue Mountain’s milk, setting him on a strange and perilous quest through enchanted forests and encounters with giant figures. His adventures lead to bewildering encounters with the local King and the unfolding of truths about his own identity and destiny amidst a curious world of magic and mistaken identities.

In which two children, kept away from their cherished seaside holiday by unwelcome relatives, discover a magical bouncing ball that transports them to a splendid, carefree seaside realm called Whereyouwantogoto, where delights and adventures abound without the usual restrictions. Yet, as they wrestle with the challenge of behaving well and respecting the enchantment around them, the boundaries between wonder and worldly order begin to close in, teaching them about the consequences of naughtiness in a gently stern fashion.

In which a young girl named Matilda, oppressed by her tight frock and officious nursemaid, inadvertently embarks upon a strange and enchanting adventure to the quaint Green Land, where kingdom and subjects alike are whimsically transformed by the mischievous laughter of a curious bird. Amidst enchantment and peculiar changes, Matilda’s cleverness and kindness bloom as she seeks to restore order and happiness beneath the watchful eyes of a troubled king and his delicate princess.