The Five Children and It - plus others books

Today is Tuesday so it book review day. I have read several biographies of C.S. Lewis in the last couple of years, finishing the latest just a couple of weeks ago. Several of them have said that E. Nesbit's books, "The Five Children and It"; "The Phoenix and the Magic Carpet" and "The Story of the Amulet" were his favorite. One even went so far as to say that he plagiarized the ideas of the "Magician's Nephew" from them. So I decided to download them onto my Kindle and read them.

First of all there was no plagiarizing. In the third book a queen does visit London but she is not a wicked queen, just a misplaced queen that doesn't understand why her whims are not met. If you read any books from the turn of the 20th century you would find quite similar themes. You could stretch and say he plagiarized from Alice in Wonderland/Through the Looking Glass or even Peter Pan if you really wanted too but you would be saying that using the time honored themes of fantasy is plagiarizing. In other words, I could see nothing that could point to C. S. Lewis stealing ideas. He might of had a suggestion in the back of his mind but who is to say when the last time was the he had even read the books. I doubt he picked them up and read them every year once he became a teenager.

Secondly - as they were first published in 1904, I found the archaic language as much fun as the storylines. I personally love reading old books. My youngest daughter, Pam, kindly points out to Carianne and me that there are other books that have been published since 1920. This I know and I do read them. But I love reading older books. I mix my older books with my new books and it makes a nice variety. In fact if you are looking for something to read to your children, I would highly recommend these. They have been reprinted and so they are out there now. You might have to explain some of the words used but not many (for example - these children live in the most modern home with gaslights! Our childen may not understand what gaslights are.) I loved that the children's wished brought them nothing but grief. They really made no one happy - even when they wanted they wanted them too. As the little 'sand fairy' said, "It was because they were not wise in what they wanted." Would we be wise in what we wanted? I thoroughly enjoyed my time reading these books. Edith Nesbit is also the author of "The Railway Children" for any of you that are familiar with those stories.

I am now reading the original Bobbsey Twin books - written during the same time frame. I am alternating my reading of children's books with adult books though. I find that if I don't I tire too quickly of reading (but it goes both ways). I have to keep it mixed up or go stir crazy. Maybe that is a good sign I am getting better and will finally be able to get up and moving!