If you've ever felt that your house was just a bit too ordinary, E. Nesbit gets it. 'The Phoenix and the Carpet' is the second adventure with the Bastable children, and it might just be the most fun. The story picks up with Cyril, Anthea, Robert, and Jane in their London home. A new nursery carpet arrives, and tucked inside is a mysterious egg. When it hatches in the fire (naturally), out comes a magnificent, talking Phoenix—a creature of immense wisdom and equally immense pride.

The Story

The Phoenix explains that the carpet is magical. It can fly them anywhere in the world, but they get only one wish per day. What follows is a series of spectacular, often chaotic, day trips. They wish for 'tropical beauty' and end up on a desert island. They try to be helpful and end up transporting a load of cheap, flammable toys to Persia. Every adventure is laced with that very real, very funny Nesbit touch: the magic is incredible, but the practical details are a nightmare. How do you explain a talking bird to the cook? What do you do when your magical carpet gets stolen by burglars? The children's genuine kindness and their constant scrambling to fix their well-intentioned mistakes is the heart of the book.

Why You Should Read It

Nesbit writes children who feel real. They squabble, they make terrible decisions, and they are fiercely loyal to each other. The Phoenix is a comic masterpiece—a glorious, ancient being who is utterly convinced of his own brilliance, even when his advice leads to disaster. The magic here isn't clean or easy; it's messy and unpredictable, just like childhood. The book is laugh-out-loud funny, but there's a warm, cozy safety to it all. No matter how far they fly, home and family are the true magic.

Final Verdict

This is a perfect read for anyone who loves classic children's fantasy with heart and humor. It's ideal for parents to read aloud (you'll all be giggling), for kids who've graduated from fairy tales and want a proper, funny adventure, and for adults who want to recapture that feeling of a rainy-day adventure dreamed up in the back bedroom. If you like the idea of magic with muddled instructions and a lot of heart, this carpet is waiting for you.