Books with author Reginald B. Birch

“The Wouldbegoods” is a 1901 novel by English author Edith Nesbit that continues the story of the Bastable children and is a squeal to “The Story of the Treasure Seekers”. As a result of bad behaviour, Oswald, Dora, Dicky, Alice, Noel, and Horace Octavius Bastable are sent off to the countryside, where they promise to utterly reform themselves. However, their intention of performing good deeds seems to land them in as much trouble as before, and sometimes even more so. Edith Nesbit (1858 – 1924) was an English poet and author. She is perhaps best remembered for her children's literature, publishing more than 60 such books under the name E. Nesbit. She was also a political activist and co-founded the Fabian Society, which had a significant influence on the Labour Party and British politics in general. Many vintage books such as this are becoming increasingly scarce and expensive. It is with this in mind that we are republishing this volume now in an affordable, modern, high-quality edition complete with a specially-commissioned new biography of the author.

'Nesbit opened the door in the magic wardrobe, pointed the way to platform nine and three quarters. She even had a hand in building the Tardis. And these are among her minor achievements. She is also simply the funniest writer we have ever had' Frank Cottrell-Boyce 'This is the story of one of the most far-reaching and influentially naughty things we ever did in our lives. We did not mean to do such a deed. And yet we did do it.'After being banished to the countryside for creating even more mayhem than usual, the Bastable children vow to mend their ways. Establishing 'The Society of the Wouldbegoods', their first rule is: 'every member is to be as good as possible'. But sometimes it's just not possible to be good - no matter how hard you try.A collection that will be coveted by children and adults alike, this list is the best in children's literature, curated by Virago. These are timeless tales with beautiful covers, that will be treasured and shared across the generations. Some titles you will already know; some will be new to you, but there are stories for everyone to love, whatever your age. Our list includes Nina Bawden (Carrie's War, The Peppermint Pig), Rumer Godden (The Dark Horse, An Episode of Sparrows), Joan Aiken (The Serial Garden, The Gift Giving) E. Nesbit (The Psammead Trilogy, The Bastable Trilogy, The Railway Children), L. M. Montgomery (The Anne of Green Gables series) and Susan Coolidge (The What Katy Did Trilogy). Discover Virago Children's Classics.

The Wouldbegoods by E. Nesbit is the sequel to her earlier book The Story of the Treasure Seekers. The Bastable children, Dora, Oswald, Noel, Alice and Horace Octavius (also known as H.O.) who are unable to stay out of trouble. After their adventures in the Treasure Seekers they go to the country for vacation taking along with them two of their friends, Denny and Daisy. Once there they are again reprimanded for getting into mischief and the girls propose staring a society for being good in; -- called “The Wouldbegoods”. For these children being good is very hard and they of course get involved in more adventures and trouble.

'"Children are like jam: all very well in the proper place, but you can't stand them all over the shop — eh, what?" These were the dreadful words of our Indian uncle. They made us feel very young and angry; and yet we could not be comforted by calling him names to ourselves, as you do when nasty grown-ups say nasty things, because he is not nasty, but quite the exact opposite when not irritated. My father said, "Perhaps they had better go to boarding-school." And that was awful, because we know Father disapproves of boarding-schools. And he looked at us and said, "I am ashamed of them, sir!"' The Bastable children behave so badly that their father sends them away to live in the countryside. Determined to be good in the future, they form a society, the 'Wouldbegoods', for being good in. But things don't go exactly as they plan... English author Edith Nesbit s impressive body of work includes poems, plays, novels, and even ghost stories, however, she is best known for her beloved children s adventure stories, published under the name E. Nesbit. Among Nesbit s best-known works are The Story of the Treasure-Seekers, The Railway Children, The Wouldbegoods and Five Children and It. Nesbit s novels departed from the children s literary tradition of fantasy-worlds popularized by Lewis Carroll and Kenneth Grahame, and instead focused on the adventures to be had from real-life experiences.

Here are related the daring feats and great exploits of Roland, worthiest of the barons of France in the time of Charlemagne, and those of Oliver and Reinold and Ogier the Dane, all heroes who were his companions in arms and who rivalled him in the number and greatness of their exploits. The story is culled from the works of song-writers and poets of five centuries and in as many languages. James Baldwin was one of the most prolific authors of school books for children at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th. He wrote over thirty books about famous people in history and retold classical stories. It is estimated that 26 million copies of his works sold worldwide, including China and Indonesia. A selfeducated man, he became a school superintendent before working as an editor.