Three novels in one, but all interconnected, so it was fun. I loved the time period it was written in and the old style of the children. It was full of magic and adventure, so it was a fun read.

My kids and I read [b:The Railway Children|164531|The Railway Children|E. Nesbit|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1630549581l/164531._SX50_.jpg|2880113] by Edith Nesbit, then the story "Five Children and It" showed up in our readings from Writing With Ease, our homeschool writing curriculum, so I decided to read it with them. It is very British, early 20th century writing for children (around 1905). Oddly enough, while I was reading it with them, I came across a reference to the book in a modern British book. The story focuses on 5 children (really only 4 characters most of the time, because one is a baby, nicknamed the Lamb) who find a "sand-fairy" called a Psammead (a term Nesbit made up, based on ancient Greek roots for "sand" and and ending like Dryads, Orads, Naiads, etc.). The Psammead grants wishes, but the wishes do not ever turn out the way the kids hope. In the end, the children give up access to the Psammead. The children return in later stories - "The Phoenix and the Carpet," in which they meet a magical talking Phoenix and a carpet that grants wishes. The Psammead is mentioned, but only appears "off camera." Then they had a third adventure in which the Psammead features a bit more prominently - "The Story of the Amulet" - in which they obtain part of a magical amulet and travel space and time searching for the other half and having adventures. Anyway, the book was very entertaining, though occasionally very politically incorrect by modern standards (the British Empire was a going concern when this was written, and there are references to "gipsies" and "savages" and such).

I thought this book was funny and I loved her writing style, I have not seen it in another book I've read and I really enjoyed it.
I missed the Psammead (a lovely, grumpy old sand-fairy) in the second book but was very happy to see him return in the last book (which was my favourite).