Audiobook Sample
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- Title: Five Children and It
- Author: Edith Nesbit
- Narrator: LibriVox Volunteers
- Length: 05:39:00
- Version: Abridged
- Release Date: 01/01/2016
- Publisher: LibriVox
- Genre: Kids, Action & Adventure, Fairy Tales & Folklore, Classics
- ISBN13: SABLIB9783322
There’s a particular magic that happens when a well-loved children’s classic meets the oral storytelling tradition – it becomes something alive, something that breathes through the narrator’s voice and settles into your imagination like a shared secret. That’s precisely what I discovered while listening to LibriVox’s volunteer narration of Edith Nesbit’s “Five Children and It” during a long train ride through the English countryside last autumn. As the golden fields blurred past my window, the mischievous adventures of Cyril, Anthea, Robert, Jane, and The Lamb unfolded in my ears with such vividness that I found myself glancing at passing gravel pits, half-expecting to spot a grumpy Psammead blinking up at me.
Nesbit’s 1902 masterpiece, often credited with pioneering the ‘children having magical adventures in real-world settings’ genre, feels remarkably fresh in this free audiobook edition. The story follows five siblings sent to live in a country house while their parents are away – a premise that immediately transported me back to summers at my abuela’s farm in Puerto Rico, where my cousins and I would invent elaborate games that blurred reality and fantasy much like Nesbit’s characters. The discovery of the ancient, irritable sand-fairy who grants them daily wishes (with predictably disastrous results) sets off a chain of adventures that perfectly capture both childhood’s boundless imagination and its tendency toward impulsive decisions.
What struck me most about this listening experience was how the multiple volunteer narrators of this LibriVox production (each taking different chapters) actually enhanced the storytelling. Much like those evenings in Oaxaca where different family members would contribute to an oral tale, the shifting voices created a charming communal storytelling effect. While some audiobook purists might prefer a single consistent narrator, there’s something wonderfully authentic about this approach for a story about siblings – each child’s perspective subtly colored by the different narrator’s interpretation. The standout performance for me was the reader who voiced the Psammead with just the right blend of ancient wisdom and petulant sarcasm, its gravelly tones reminding me of a particularly opinionated old fisherman I met in Cornwall.
Nesbit’s genius lies in how she grounds the fantastical in utterly believable child psychology. As a travel writer, I’m always fascinated by how place shapes story, and the English countryside here isn’t just a backdrop but an active participant in the magic. The gravel pit where they find the Psammead, the sprawling country house, the nearby village – all are rendered with such specificity that I could map them in my mind’s eye as clearly as the Andean villages I’ve written about. This vivid sense of place makes the magical elements feel possible, even inevitable. When the children wish to be ‘as beautiful as the day’ only to become unrecognizable to their own caretakers, or when their castle-building wish leaves them besieged by real soldiers, the consequences feel weighty precisely because the world around them feels so real.
The novel’s exploration of wish fulfillment resonates deeply in our era of instant gratification. Each chapter’s magical mishap serves as a gentle lesson about unintended consequences – when the children wish for wealth, they receive gold coins no shopkeeper will accept; when they wish for wings, they struggle to land before sunset. These episodes unfold with Nesbit’s trademark humor and lack of sentimentality, never lecturing but always revealing. I found myself thinking about how these themes mirror travel experiences – how our most carefully planned itineraries often yield the best surprises when things go ‘wrong,’ much like the children’s wishes.
Compared to other classic children’s fantasies, “Five Children and It” stands out for its psychological realism. Where Alice’s adventures in Wonderland feel like a surreal dream, Nesbit’s magic operates within strict rules that the children must navigate using their wits. The sibling dynamics feel authentic – the way they bicker but band together in crisis, how the older children alternately indulge and resent their baby brother. This authenticity makes the fantasy elements more impactful, much like how the best travel stories balance extraordinary settings with very human emotions.
For contemporary listeners, some Edwardian-era attitudes might require contextualization (particularly around class and gender roles), but Nesbit was remarkably progressive for her time in allowing her female characters equal agency in adventures. The audio format actually helps bridge any historical distance – hearing the children’s voices makes their experiences feel immediate and relatable.
As someone who’s spent years collecting folktales from around the world, I was particularly delighted by the Psammead, a creature that feels both uniquely English yet connected to global folklore traditions. Its grumpy demeanor and sand-dwelling nature reminded me of desert spirits I’ve heard about from Saharan nomads, while its wish-granting-with-a-catch mechanism echoes countless cautionary folk tales about being careful what you wish for.
The LibriVox production, while not professionally recorded, has a charming homespun quality that suits the material. The occasional background noise or uneven microphone levels only added to the sense that I was listening to a beloved family story being shared rather than a slick commercial product. This free audiobook version makes Nesbit’s classic accessible to anyone with an internet connection – a gift for parents looking for screen-free entertainment during long car rides, or for adults seeking a nostalgic literary escape.
Having listened to countless audiobooks across six continents – from professional studio recordings to amateur storytellers gathered around fires – I can say this version of “Five Children and It” captures something essential about the oral storytelling tradition. It’s imperfect in ways that make it feel alive, much like the children’s imperfect wishes that drive the story forward. The multiple narrators create a texture that single-voice productions can’t replicate, offering listeners the aural equivalent of a patchwork quilt – each section with its own pattern, but together creating something warm and comforting.
For those considering this audiobook, I’d recommend embracing it as you would a local storyteller’s rendition of a familiar tale – not expecting polish, but appreciating the personality and spontaneity. Pair it with a walk through nature, or save it for a family listening session where you can pause to discuss what wish you’d make (and how it might go wrong). The episodic structure makes it perfect for short commutes or bedtime listening with children.
In an age where children’s entertainment often comes with flashing screens and manufactured excitement, there’s something profoundly nourishing about returning to Nesbit’s vision of magic emerging from ordinary landscapes, powered by imagination rather than special effects. This audiobook version, with its volunteer narrators giving their time to keep the story alive, feels like a contemporary equivalent of neighbors gathering to share tales – a tradition as old as humanity, and as magical as any Psammead’s wish.
With wishes for magical listening adventures,
Marcus Rivera
