The Railway Children

By: E. Nesbit

Narrated by: Virginia Leishman

Father has suddenly and mysteriously disappeared. Now Mother has moved Roberta, Peter, and Phyllis from London to an old English country house. Missing the hustle and bustle of the city, the children are ecstatic to find that their new home is near a railway station. Making friends with both the porter and the station master is great fun. So is waving to a kindly old gentleman who rides through on the 9:15 every morning. When mother gets sick, it is he to whom they turn for help. And later, when a fortunate twist of fate returns their father to them, they are surprised to find the old gentleman involved once again.

Written by an unconventional woman whose friends included H. G. Wells and George Bernard Shaw, this classic has been popular since it was first published almost 100 years ago. Virginia Leishman’s enthusiasm translates these adventuresome children into heroes for modern listeners.

Public Domain (P)1999 Recorded Books

A true classic

This story was published in 1905 and set in the time of railways and carriages rather than cars and cellphones but the characters are timeless. Human nature remains remarkably constant and we can relate to the people even though we now have a superabundance of technology. This is probably just about the first children’s story set in a realistic “contemporary” world. It has kept its freshness as a story and is a fascinating bit of social history as well. .

Sweet story

A lovely sweet story. My only complaint is the sounds of the narrator's swallowing. I'm guessing it's a sound editing issue being that the narrator did a great job.

Absolutely Heartwarming

I listened to this book upon recommendation of a homeschool podcast that I love. I had to talk myself into listening to it. I am so glad that I did. This book was such a lesson in goodness , perseverance, and hope. I felt uplifted after finishing it. It was well done.

Charming Story

Charming story. Fabulous narrator. A wonderful feel-good tale for all ages. This story was first published in 1906 but still resonates today.

Reader was great!

The story was a little slow, but the reader was so good, I could visualize the whole thing.