The Story of the Treasure Seekers (1899) is a children's novel by
English writer Edith Nesbit. The first book in Nesbit's beloved Bastable
trilogy--which also includes The Wouldbegoods (1901) and The New
Treasure Seekers (1904)--The Story of the Treasure Seekers is a story
of family, adventure, and mystery for children and adults alike.
The Bastable siblings--Dora, Oswald, Dicky, Alice, Noel, and Horace
Octavius--are clever and curious children who live with their widowed
father. When their mother died, their father became ill and lost his
successful business, forcing the family to live modestly. Inspired by
stories of buried gold and jewels--and hoping to help their struggling
father--the Bastable children decide to go searching for treasure. Their
adventure soon takes them to London, where they abandon digging for the
allure of paying work. The Bastables come up with several schemes to
make money, including writing poetry, banditry, and starting a
newspaper, in the process discovering the power of imagination and the
true value of home. The Story of the Treasure Seekers is a masterpiece
of children's fiction from Edith Nesbit, one of the twentieth century's
children's authors. Originally published as a series of stories in
several different periodicals, The Story of the Treasure Seekers was
Nesbit's first novel for children. It would go on to influence both
Arthur Ransome and C.S. Lewis, and is a favorite of J.K. Rowling's.
With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript,
this edition of Edith Nesbit's The Story of the Treasure Seekers is a
classic of English children's literature reimagined for modern readers.