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Five become four in Wilson's Nesbit update
30.01.12 | Charlotte Williams
Jacqueline Wilson's updated version of E Nesbit's children's classic Five Children and It will focus on four modern-day children, with the characters travelling back in time to meet E Nesbit's original protagonists Robert, Anthea, Cyril, Jane and baby Lamb.
The book, Four Children and It, with the tagline: "Can your wildest wishes really come true?", will be published in August. It will be brother and sister Rosalind and Robbie, their half-sister Maudie and step-sister Smash who discover the mythical Psammead, this time around in a big sandpit in Surrey's Oxshott Woods.
The book will see the children granted wishes by the Psammead, including wishing to be rich and famous, wishing to fly, and wishing to meet the original five children from E Nesbit's book. Author Wilson said Rosamund then gets stuck in the past, and she had to use "all her imagination" to work out how to bring her back again.
Wilson said she had been a fan of E Nesbit's writing when she was growing up, borrowing her titles from the local library. "I loved the way she wrote very approachably. This is a kind of tribute to her because I so admire her," she said.
The book will form part of Puffin's celebrations for Puffin Classics' 30th anniversary this year, with other 2012 plans including publication of actress Emma Thompson's The Further Tale of Peter Rabbit, which will see Beatrix Potter's character travelling to Scotland.
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Why ?
Suggest you look at the Telegraph today. Rather a well argued article coming down on the side of the unabridged version. Personally I think we dumb down too much, its the Peppa the Pig versus Noggin the Nog arguement whereby Noggin the Nog from the 60's has advanced vocabulary, grammar and storyline and Peppa dosen't. Kids do not need to be spoonfed.
Geraldine McCaughrean made the point that retellings and reinterpretations are like boats attached to islands of greatness. They do not detract from those islands, but can act as vessels for allowing others safe passage to them. The quality and indeed accessiblity of Nesbit's original will stand irrespective of the merits or otherwise of 'Four Children and It', it will be interesting to see whether Dame Jacqueline can capture some of the astute social comment and nuanced humour of the original.
so its Dame Jacqueline's new book then? not really an update?
4 children (from a very modern diverse family-wonder if the stepchild got permission from the abscent parent for timetravel?) and a new story that incorperates a little of the old story.
wouldnt an update be the same 5 children older? or the same 5 children different story.??
Confused . com(not an advert)
Since E Nesbit revisited the five children and the Psammead in The Phoenix and the Carpet and The Story of the Amulet, I think we're well-supplied for sequels. Jacqueline Wilson's story would presumably involve a whole new set of children discovering the same Psammead as the original children discovered (I seem to remember that it was a very old sand fairy that had lived at the time of the dinosaurs, so it turning up again in the 21st century isn't so remarkable). I look forward to Dame Jacqueline's retelling, and hopefully it will prompt new readers to return to the originals.
that was my point Katie, it is a new story with the new (diverse) family. but the headline suggest its an "update"
like said hopefully for the surviving bookshops it will do well, as well as get people back to some nesbit titles.
too late for meeeeeeeeeee though.
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