The Story of the Treasure Seekers

E. Nesbit, 1899

Children's classics

Six children devise schemes to repair their family's finances in a proudly self-conscious account.

Read the book Contents

Length: 16 chapters
Reading time: About 3 hr 40 min
Words: 52,303

About the book

The Bastable children decide to seek treasure, but their narrator first insists on explaining exactly what sort of family and home readers are entering. Their ambitions draw on books as well as on the practical problem of a diminished family fortune.

Nesbit gives the telling almost as much energy as the events. The narrator argues about what makes a good story, skips dull intervals and reveals more than intended. That mixture lets readers enjoy the children's confidence while noticing the distance between an attractive scheme and its likely consequences.

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Children's classics

This edition

Text from Standard Ebooks, who proofread and typeset it and dedicate their edition to the public domain. E. Nesbit died more than 70 years ago, so the work is out of copyright in the UK. Includes the original dedication.