# Five Children and It — Chapters explained

> Chapter companions for Five Children and It by E. Nesbit.

- [Dedication](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/five_children_and_it_se/chapters/dedication.md): A poetic dedication to a young child named John Bland, affectionately called 'My Lamb,' acknowledging his current inability to read while expressing a bittersweet anticipation of the day he will grow up and read the book
- [Five Children and It](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/five_children_and_it_se/chapters/five-children-and-it.md): The five children—Robert, Cyril, Anthea, Jane, and the Lamb—move to a new house in the countryside and discover a sand-fairy, the Psammead, who grants them one wish per day that lasts until sunset. Their first wish to be
- [Beautiful as the Day](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/five_children_and_it_se/chapters/i-beautiful-as-the-day.md): The five children—Cyril, Anthea, Robert, Jane, and the Lamb—move to the White House in the countryside, where they discover a sand-fairy called a Psammead in a gravel-pit. The Psammead grants them one wish per day, and t
- [Golden Guineas](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/five_children_and_it_se/chapters/ii-golden-guineas.md): The children attempt to spend their fairy gold, only to discover that shopkeepers refuse to accept it as currency. They hire a pony-cart to Rochester, but their efforts to buy goods are repeatedly rebuffed. The chapter e
- [III: Being Wanted](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/five_children_and_it_se/chapters/iii-being-wanted.md): The children reflect on their disappointing wishes for beauty and wealth, then deal with a chaotic breakfast involving the Lamb and goldfish. Afterward, they discuss the Psammead and decide to wish the Lamb away, but the
- [Wings](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/five_children_and_it_se/chapters/iv-wings.md): The children enjoy a day of gift-giving from Uncle Richard, then Anthea wakes early to consult the Psammead alone. She learns about the dangers of wishing for wings but decides to try anyway. The children wish for wings 
- [No Wings](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/five_children_and_it_se/chapters/v-no-wings.md): The children, stranded on the church tower after their wish for wings, are discovered by the Vicar and a gamekeeper. They confess to stealing food and a soda-water syphon from the Vicarage larder, but are forgiven after 
- [VI: A Castle and No Dinner](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/five_children_and_it_se/chapters/vi-a-castle-and-no-dinner.md): The children are kept indoors as punishment for the previous day's mishaps, but Robert is allowed out briefly to make the day's wish. He finds the Psammead and inadvertently wishes that the others could wish without bein
- [VII: A Siege and Bed](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/five_children_and_it_se/chapters/vii-a-siege-and-bed.md): The children, now in a besieged castle, prepare for an attack by gathering stones and daggers as weapons. They provision themselves with biscuits and later discover they can eat invisible food by pretending to bite it. R
- [Bigger Than the Baker’s Boy](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/five_children_and_it_se/chapters/viii-bigger-than-the-baker-s-boy.md): The children attempt to play bandits but are humiliated by the baker's boy, who kicks Robert. In anger, Robert wishes to be bigger than the baker's boy, and the Psammead grants his wish, making him a giant. Robert gets r
- [Grown Up](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/five_children_and_it_se/chapters/ix-grown-up.md): Cyril wakes early and negotiates with the Psammead to allow wishes to be granted instantly wherever the children happen to be. Later, while the children are in the woods, the Lamb breaks Cyril's borrowed watch, prompting
- [X: Scalps](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/five_children_and_it_se/chapters/x-scalps.md): Cyril's idle wish for Red Indians comes true, leading to a tense day as the children fear an attack. Anthea cleverly sends Martha and the Lamb away for safety. The Indians capture the children but only scalp their false 
- [XI: The Last Wish](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/five_children_and_it_se/chapters/xi-the-last-wish.md): On the final day they can make wishes, the children learn their mother is returning home and decide to wish for something to please her. Jane inadvertently wishes that the stolen jewels of Lady Chittenden appear in their

HTML index: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/five_children_and_it_se/chapters