Edith Nesbit

The Story of the Treasure Seekers annotated Edith Nesbit

The Story of the Treasure Seekers is a children's adventure novel by Edith Nesbit. First published in 1899, the book follows a group of siblings who set about restoring the family fortune after their father loses his business. It's the first book in the Bastable Children series, and it's Nesbit's most popular novel. Nesbit was an acclaimed children's novelist who wrote and co-authored over 60 books. Before writing children's books, she wrote and sold sentimental poetry to support her best friend financially. Aside from her writing career, Nesbit was an enthusiastic political activist with ties to the modern-day British Labour Party. The Story of the Treasure Seekers is set in England around 1899, and it follows a middle-class family called the Bastables. There are six children in the Bastable family, and they live in a modest semi-detached house on Lewisham Road in London. The house isn't big enough for everyone, but they can't afford to live anywhere else. They rarely buy new clothes and most of their possessions are handed down through the generations. Mrs Bastable died a few years ago. Mr Bastable raises the children alone without much help. Between running his failing business and looking after six children, he's under extreme pressure and he isn't very affectionate. Most of all, he misses his wife, and he knows that his children need their mother. Dora, the eldest Bastable, takes on the motherly role and she tries her best to look after her younger siblings....................