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Cover of The Phoenix and the Carpet by Edith Nesbit

The Phoenix and the Carpet

Edith Nesbit

  • 174 pages · about 3 hours
  • First published 1904
  • 438 editions
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1 About this book

The Phoenix and the Carpet is a fantasy novel for children. It is written by E. Nesbit and first published in 1904. It is the second in a trilogy of novels that begins with Five Children and It (1902), and follows the adventures of the same five children: Cyril, Anthea, Robert, Jane and the Lamb. Their mother buys the children a new carpet to replace one from the nursery that they destroyed in an accidental fire.

The children find an egg in the carpet, which hatches into a talking Phoenix. The Phoenix explains that the carpet is a magic one that will grant them three wishes a day. The five children go on many adventures, which eventually wear out their magic carpet. The adventures are continued and concluded in the third book of the trilogy, The Story of the Amulet (1906).

Summary adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Good for readers who want: fantasy and magic.

  • Fantasy
  • Magic
  • Magic in fiction
  • Mythical Animals
  • Great britain
  • London, history
  • Brothers and sisters
  • Children's fiction

2 About Edith Nesbit

1858–1924

Edith Nesbit (married name Edith Bland; 15 August 1858 – 4 May 1924) was an English writer and poet, who published her books for children and others as E. Nesbit. She wrote or collaborated on more than 60 such books. She was also a political activist and co-founder of the Fabian Society, a socialist organisation later affiliated to the Labour Party.

Bio adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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