Collection: E. Nesbit

Edith Nesbit (1858-1924) was an English author and poet well renowned for her children’s stories. She published more than 60 books, numerous short stories, and several collaborative works using the shortened name E. Nesbit. She also co-wrote with her husband under the pseudonym Fabian Bland. 

Her first children’s book, The Story of the Treasure Seekers, was published in 1899 and was followed up by children’s classics such as Five Children and It (1902), The Story of the Amulet (1906), and The Railway Children (1906). Her children’s stories were well known for their “slice-of-life” settings, strong female characters, and their commentary on issues such as poverty and social inequality. 

Though she was most well-known for her work in children’s literature, Nesbit also wrote poetry, adult fiction, and adult non-fiction. She was a political activist, giving lectures and writing political essays which promoted socialism, feminism, and social justice. She also helped establish the Fabian Society, a socialist organization later associated with the British Labour Party. 

Edith Nesbit passed away in 1924 at the age of 65, though her many beloved stories remain influential and continue to inspire children and adults alike.