The Book of Dragons (1899) is a collection of children's stories by
English writer Edith Nesbit. Comprising eight stories originally
published in 1899 in The Strand Magazine, The Book of Dragons is a
work that explores the magic and wonder of mythical beasts for children
and adults alike.
In "The Book of Beasts," a young prince named Lionel is named the next
king. After his coronation, he goes to the palace library for the first
time, where he discovers the eccentric former king's collection of rare
and magical books. Although the Chancellor tries to discourage Lionel
from opening them, he picks out a large book titled "The Book of
Beasts," which, when opened, releases a colorful butterfly into the air.
Flipping through the book, Lionel turns to a page where a red dragon
sits under a palm tree. Terrified, he slams the book shut, but his
curiosity proves hard to resist. "Uncle James, or the Purple Stranger"
is the story of the Princess of Rotundia, a strange island nation where
animals grow to the opposite size as their counterparts around the
world. In Rotundia, rabbits and mice grow to the size of elephants,
while elephants stop growing when they reach the size of a small dog.
One day, the Princess's friends ask her to show them the royal dragon,
but when the ugly creature eats the Princess's rabbit, her scheming
Uncle James hatches a plan to steal the kingdom for himself. These are
only two of the eight stories that make up Edith Nesbit's The Book of
Dragons, a bizarre and wonderful collection of tales from one of
England's finest fabulists.
With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript,
this edition of Edith Nesbit's The Book of Dragons is a classic of
English children's literature reimagined for modern readers.
