The Magic City

What if the world you built at play became the world you had to survive? For one lonely boy, a homemade city opens the way to an extraordinary adventure.

In E. Nesbit's The Magic City, Philip Haldane struggles with the changes brought by his beloved half-sister's marriage. In a country house, he builds an elaborate city from books, bricks, chessmen, and household ornaments. Then he finds himself inside his creation, where toy figures have lives of their own and ancient prophecies seem to point straight at him. Recognized as the Deliverer, Philip must perform seven heroic deeds to earn his way home, while the scheming Pretenderette stands in his path.

But Philip cannot meet every challenge alone. Lucy, the girl he has decided to dislike, enters the enchanted world too-and proves a brave and resourceful companion. Their growing friendship gives this inventive quest its emotional heart. With dry humour and a sharp understanding of childhood feelings, Nesbit turns familiar objects into a convincing landscape of marvels while tracing a boy's movement from jealousy and isolation toward generosity and trust.

What readers find inside:

A rewarding choice for middle-grade fantasy readers, families who enjoy sharing classic stories, and adults drawn to British children's literature full of wit and invention.

Follow Philip into his own creation and discover how much larger an imagined world can become when it is shared.