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E Nesbit was one of the great British Edwardian storytellers, whom we now remember most for her children’s novels. But she wrote ghost stories prolifically for adults, her imagination focused on the detail of the domestic to draw out horror, chills and delight. Revel in the dark side of Victorian and Edwardian England, where visiting a house of strangers becomes a trial of nerve, and rediscovering the past leads you into strange and terrifying places. Melissa Edmundson, a noted authority on supernatural writing from this period and the curator of Women’s Weird and Women’s Weird 2, has selected the best of E Nesbit’s short scary fiction for this new Handheld Classic.

HarperCollins is proud to present its new range of best-loved, essential classics. '...when the Green Dragon tore shrieking out of the mouth of its dark lair, which was the tunnel, all three children stood on the railing and waved their pocket-handkerchiefs without stopping to think whether they were clean handkerchiefs or the reverse.' When their father is mysteriously sent away, Roberta, Peter and Phyllis have to leave London with their mother to live in a cottage in the countryside. Finding comfort in the nearby railway station and friendship in Perks the Porter and the Station Master, the children watch every day for the passing London train. Every day they wave at the same old Gentleman on the train, not knowing that he may hold the key to their father's whereabouts.

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.

Youngsters love stories about kings and queens, ghosts and witches. Edith Nesbit has turned ten of William Shakespeare's most famous stories into delightful tales.

When Roberta, Peter and Phyllis's father is imprisoned after being falsely accused of spying, they and their mother have to leave their comfortable London home to go and live in a small house in the country. However, the children soon come to love the railway that runs near their cottage, and have many adventures - stopping a train from disaster, saving an infant and dog from a barge canal on fire, and getting help when they find an injured boy in the trail tunnel. When they befriend an Old Gentleman who regularly takes the 9:15 train near their home, he helps them to prove their father's innocence, and the family is reunited at last.

This wonderful anthology features the stories of some of the best-loved heroines in children's books. From Jo March who sells her hair to raise money for her family, to George's single-minded commitment to protecting her island in The Famous Five to Bobbie's quick-thinking action that prevents a train crash in The Railway Children, these girls demonstrate courage beyond their years.

Each of the 12 chapters contains an introduction about the courageous girl featured and a satisfying extract from the original book. These fictional heroines will inspire young readers with their stories of expectations defied, fears faced and obstacles overcome. This collection is also bound to tempt readers to discover these classic novels for themselves.

Classic novels featured include Little Women, Anne of Green Gables, Five on a Treasure Island, The Railway Children, Jane Eyre, A Little Princess, Pollyanna and The Wizard of Oz, as well as beloved fairy tales such as The Snow Queen, Kate Crackernuts and White Chrysanthemum.

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.

When Roberta, Peter and Phyllis's father is taken away and they move to a tiny cottage in the countryside, the only advantage is the nearby railway. Join them on their adventures as they befriend all those who work with the trains, prevent a railway disaster and try to discover the truth behind their father's disappearance. The Railway Children, a much-loved children's classic, was first published in 1906 and has never been out of print.

Peter, Phyllis and Roberta's lives change overnight when their father is taken away by two strangers. They move from the comfort of their London home to a small country cottage, and are left to their own devices while their mother writes day and night to support the family. But with their new poverty comes more freedom than they ever dreamed of, and the railway line at the bottom of their garden offers the trio a world of new friendships that will change their lives forever. A tale of blissful independence and adventure, Edith Nesbit's beloved children's classic is a timeless story of joy, hope and the importance of family. This Macmillan Collector's Library edition of The Railway Children features the beautiful illustrations of C. E. Brock, and an afterword by editor and publisher Anna South. Designed to appeal to the booklover, the Macmillan Collector's Library is a series of beautiful gift editions of much-loved classic titles. Macmillan Collector's Library are books to love and treasure.

Mike Kenny's imaginative stage adaptation of E. Nesbit's much-loved children's classic. Famously filmed, this story of a prosperous Edwardian family - mother and three children - forced into near-penury in the rural north of England captures the anxieties and exhilarations of childhood with great tenderness and insight. As Mike Kenny says of his remarkably faithful adaptation, 'You don't need a real train to perform this play... the most powerful prop is the imagination of the audience, the most effective tool the skill of the actors.' So this version of The Railway Children, which offers three plum roles for young performers, is eminently suitable for schools, youth theatres and drama groups - anywhere, in fact, where the cry of 'Daddy! My Daddy!' is likely to provoke a tear. Mike Kenny's version of The Railway Children was first staged at the National Railway Museum in York in 2008, before receiving a major production at Waterloo Station in London in 2010.

Roberta, Phyllis and Peter have their comfortable lives in London thrown into disarray by the unexpected disappearance of their father. They are forced to move to a small cottage in the countryside with their mother, who struggles to make ends meet by writing books. The children find solace in a stretch of railway track and the station nearby, and befriend the railway porter, who teaches them about running the station, and an old gentleman who takes the 9.15 train every day. Through this love of the trains they are led on many exciting adventures, including a quest to discover the secret of their father's disappearance. One of the most popular children's books ever written, E. Nesbit's tale has enchanted generations of readers since it was first released in 1906. It has been adapted for the screen and the stage many times, and its story of innocence, intrigue and discovery remains perfectly poignant today.

'Her child characters are remarkable because they are so entirely human. They are intelligent, vain, aggressive, humorous, witty, cruel, compassionate... in fact, they are like adults' Gore Vidal The lives of Roberta, Peter and Phyllis are shattered when their father leaves with two strangers. When they and their mother move to a country cottage, they soon come to love the railway that runs nearby. There follows a series of many adventures, including saving a train from disaster, and then finally helping the Old Gentleman try to solve the mystery of their father's disappearance. One of the most famous stories of all time, enjoyed by millions of children and adults across the world.

Whilst out playing in the countryside, five children come across a Psammead called 'It' - a cantankerous little sand fairy who agrees to grant them one wish every day, though its effects will only last until sunset. The possibilities seem endless to the adventurous siblings but whatever their wishes, whether it's having piles of money, growing wings, or disposing of their annoying infant brother, their days never seem to go as planned. Indeed, the consequences of all their wishes lead the children into many thrilling and often hilarious escapades. Edith Nesbit was inspired by her own five children to write this enchanting novel, and its warm and funny portrayal of a magical childhood has ensured its presence in print ever since. This beautifully illustrated Macmillan Collector's Library edition of Five Children and It features the drawings of H. R. Millar, and an afterword by writer, critic and broadcaster Nicolette Jones. Designed to appeal to the book lover, the Macmillan Collector's Library is a series of beautiful gift editions of much loved classic titles. Macmillan Collector's Library are books to love and treasure.

Here we have Edith Nesbit's prose retelling of twenty classic Shakespeare stories in a manner clearly readable by children and adults alike. While obviously influenced by Charles and Mary Lamb's 'Tales from Shakespeare', Nesbit's retellings are actually more accessible to the modern reader than those of that justly famous volume, as they were written closer to our own day. The best thing about this book is that it will eventually lead children to discover Shakespeare's plays for themselves Contents: A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM THE TEMPEST AS YOU LIKE IT THE WINTER'S TALE KING LEAR TWELFTH NIGHT MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING ROMEO AND JULIET PERICLES HAMLET CYMBELINE MACBETH THE COMEDY OF ERRORS THE MERCHANT OF VENICE TIMON OF ATHENS OTHELLO THE TAMING OF THE SHREW MEASURE FOR MEASURE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL

When Cyril, Anthea, Robert, Jane and their baby brother start exploring a gravel pit not far from their new countryside home, they make an unexpected and very curious discovery. The gravel pit is home to a Psammead, a sand fairy. This ugly creature has eyes like a snail, ears like a bat and the body of a spider, and is very grumpy indeed. He grants the children one wish every day, and though they are excited to have all their desires fulfilled, they soon realize that having one's wishes come true can have unexpected consequences... E. Nesbit's much loved children's tale has enchanted generations of readers, and has been adapted for the screen numerous times - most notably by the BBC in a hugely popular 1990s series. It remains one of the most cherished children's classics ever written, and an indispensable part of every young reader's library.

'"Stand firm'" said Peter, "and wave like mad!"' They were not railway children to begin with. When their Father mysteriously leaves home Roberta (everyone calls her Bobbie), Phyllis and Peter must move to a small cottage in the countryside with Mother. It is a bitter blow to leave their London home, but soon they discover the hills and valleys, the canal and of course, the railway. But with the thrilling rush and rattle and roar of the trains comes danger too. Will the brave trio come to the rescue? And most importantly, can they solve the disappearance of their Father? BACKSTORY: Find out all about steam trains and learn what it was really like to be a child in Edwardian times.