Other editions of book The Book of Dragons, Volume 1

Evelyn Nesbit creates a fantasy world with friendly dragons, mean dragons, colorful dragons and even baby dragons! Find out if the princess gets rescued by her true love. Can the young king save his subjects from the hungry dragon he accidentally released? Enjoy Evelyn Nesbit's fabulous series of short stories beloved by children for over a hundred years. The stories include: 1. The Book of Beasts 2. Uncle James, or The Purple Stranger 3. The Deliverers of Their Country 4. The Ice Dragon, or Do as You are Told Edith Nesbit (1858 – 1924) was a British novelist, poet and magazine editor. Often called the "Queen of Children's literature", Nesbit published over 50 books for children, establishing a new genre. Generally, Nesbit's characters are real children in realistic environments, embarking on fantasy adventures with magical creatures, influencing the work of later writers like CS Lewis and JK Rowling.

Edith Nesbit's “The Book of Dragons” is a collection of eight children's stories linked through the common theme of dragons. 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. Contents include: “The Book of Beasts”, “Uncle James, or The Purple Stranger”, “The Deliverers of Their Country”, “The Ice Dragon, or Do as You Are Told”, “The Island of the Nine Whirlpools”, “The Dragon Tamers”, “The Fiery Dragon, or The Heart of Stone and the Heart of Gold”, and “Kind Little Edmund, or The Caves and the Cockatrice”. These fantastical tales would make for perfect bedtime reading material and are deserving of a place on any family bookshelf. 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.

This enchanting set of eight children's tales by Edith Nesbit tell of a variety of dragons and their abilities. Crammed with the unique wit and phrasing for which Nesbit was known, The Book of Dragons has surprised and entertained children for generations. The stories hold charm for juxtaposing the modern world with those of ancient myth - in one classic account, the dragon flies out of the very text in which it is contained and eats an entire team of soccer players. Each story has a good combination of wit, mythology, magic and intensity to keep adults and their youngsters enthralled. Perfect for bedtime reading, each story within this book is roughly 10 to 15 pages in length, with the witty dialogue a particular strong point.

According to her biographer Julia Briggs, Nesbit was "the first modern writer for children": "(Nesbit) helped to reverse the great tradition of children's literature inaugurated by Lewis Carroll, George MacDonald and Kenneth Grahame, in turning away from their secondary worlds to the tough truths to be won from encounters with things-as-they-are, previously the province of adult novels." Briggs also credits Nesbit with having invented the children's adventure story. Noël Coward was a great admirer of hers and, in a letter to an early biographer Noel Streatfeild, wrote "she had an economy of phrase, and an unparalleled talent for evoking hot summer days in the English countryside."

According to her biographer Julia Briggs, Nesbit was "the first modern writer for children": "(Nesbit) helped to reverse the great tradition of children's literature inaugurated by Lewis Carroll, George MacDonald and Kenneth Grahame, in turning away from their secondary worlds to the tough truths to be won from encounters with things-as-they-are, previously the province of adult novels." Briggs also credits Nesbit with having invented the children's adventure story. Noël Coward was a great admirer of hers and, in a letter to an early biographer Noel Streatfeild, wrote "she had an economy of phrase, and an unparalleled talent for evoking hot summer days in the English countryside."

According to her biographer Julia Briggs, Nesbit was "the first modern writer for children": "(Nesbit) helped to reverse the great tradition of children's literature inaugurated by Lewis Carroll, George MacDonald and Kenneth Grahame, in turning away from their secondary worlds to the tough truths to be won from encounters with things-as-they-are, previously the province of adult novels." Briggs also credits Nesbit with having invented the children's adventure story. Noël Coward was a great admirer of hers and, in a letter to an early biographer Noel Streatfeild, wrote "she had an economy of phrase, and an unparalleled talent for evoking hot summer days in the English countryside."

According to her biographer Julia Briggs, Nesbit was "the first modern writer for children": "(Nesbit) helped to reverse the great tradition of children's literature inaugurated by Lewis Carroll, George MacDonald and Kenneth Grahame, in turning away from their secondary worlds to the tough truths to be won from encounters with things-as-they-are, previously the province of adult novels." Briggs also credits Nesbit with having invented the children's adventure story. Noël Coward was a great admirer of hers and, in a letter to an early biographer Noel Streatfeild, wrote "she had an economy of phrase, and an unparalleled talent for evoking hot summer days in the English countryside."

Dragons — of all sorts — make for marvelous fun, and this collection of madcap tales is filled with them. Some of the legendary monsters are funny and mischievous, others are downright frightening, and a number of them are wild and unpredictable. There's a dragon made of ice, another that takes refuge in the General Post Office, a scaly creature that carries off the largest elephant in a zoo, and even a dragon whose gentle purring comforts a tiny tot.And who challenges these amazing creatures? Why, daring heroes, of course, as well as a wicked prince, and even an entire soccer team — which, unfortunately, meets its fate with a fire-breathing brute that flies out of the pages of an enchanted book.E. (Edith) Nesbit (1858–1924) was one of the pioneers of fantasy fiction for children. Her classic novels — such as The Railway Children and Five Children and It — have remained popular for more than a century. 24 illustrations.(Additional author biography)