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When Father goes away with two strangers one evening, the lives of Roberta, Peter and Phyllis are shattered. They and their mother have to move from their comfortable London home to go and live in a simple country cottage, where Mother writes books to make ends meet.
However, they soon come to love the railway that runs near their cottage, and they make a habit of waving to the Old Gentleman who rides on it. They befriend the porter, Perks, and through him learn railway lore and much else. They have many adventures, and when they save a train from disaster, they are helped by the Old Gentleman to solve the mystery of their father's disappearance, and the family is happily reunited.
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As with any children's classic - and "The Railway Children" is both a classic and most probably her best book - its appeal lies in a cracking plot, good character development and adult accessibility; parents are as keen to read as their children are to listen. The plot is simple: well-to-do-kids living ideal life in London suddenly have to "play at being poor" in the country after Daddy mysteriously disappears. After a series of adventures, all based around the railway that runs near their house, events coalesce into a satisfying finale.
The story centres on Roberta (Bobbie), the eldest daughter through whose eyes the story is narrated. She is one of my own favourite literature heroines and, as she suffers loss and hardship; and gains friendship and love, I would challenge even the most hard-boiled cynic not to shed the odd tear. The story is not, however, nearly as fluffy as all this may intimate. Like Rowling, Nesbitt loved to include magic and enchantment in her stories (it is, perhaps, ironic that her best tale contains none although it is certainly enchantING). Like Rowling, her stories also tend to have a dark side: many contain, and even hinge around, an absent, idealised father, reflecting the loss of the writer's own parent when she was just six. I've worn my way through two copies already!). Buy dozens! Spread them around your own children, their friends, nephews, nieces, grandchildren, neighbours ... any child who can manage joined-up writing will be enchanted by this story - and so will their parents
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