Book Review: The Railway Children by E. Nesbit
Life takes some odd turns. For example, one day you’re an adorable trio of children living a comfortable upper-middle class life in London. The next, your father is sent to prison for a crime he did not commit and you have to go live in a much less impressive house out in the country next to the railway. At least there’s plenty to do!
This classic 1905 children’s novel is by E. Nesbit, born Edith Nesbit. Her married name was “Bland” which may explain why she kept the old one for writing.
Since Mother is busy writing stories to sell to magazines to keep the family afloat, Roberta, Peter and Phyllis find themselves with lots of spare time. They spend much of it exploring the neighborhood, especially the railway of the title. They make a habit of waving to the people on the trains, particularly one older gentleman who takes an interest in the children.
The kids are remarkably well-behaved, but thankfully are no angels. At various points they steal, lie, quarrel and do end runs around their mother’s instructions for the greater good. It’s even mentioned that Peter once burned Phyllis’ doll at the stake. Their hearts are in the right places, and the children manage to save a train full of passengers from crashing, and then a baby from a barge fire, as well as assist a Russian refugee.
Parents reading this to their little ones may want to read up on the Russo-Japanese War, as it is briefly referred to (and the porter Perks uses a word for Japanese people that is no longer acceptable, even as he says he’s on their side!)
The story is remarkably feminist for 1905–the father sees no issue with his daughters becoming engineers or “fire-women” if that’s the careers they want, and Roberta (“Bobbie”) is definitely the leader of the children. The narrator mentions that Bobbie is her favorite, but that also includes some heavy moments, as when Bobbie learns the truth about what happened to her father, and must keep it from her siblings at Mother’s request.
There’s a bit of classism; even though our main family is poor now, they don’t really mix with the new neighbors, and the children never play with the local children, only making friends with adults. Charity is seen as an awful thing to need, both Mother and Perks are dead set against receiving “charity” and have to have it presented in different terms to be acceptable.
The tone of the narration is pleasant, an English auntie who keeps most of the darkness of the world at the edges where it belongs, but not afraid to admit it exists. And the ending is splendid, knowing when it’s time to go away and leave the family to their own joy.
Highly recommended to parents who read to their children, and children who are ready to read a long book on their own.
