The Wouldbegoods

"The Wouldbegoods" by E. Nesbit is a children's novel written in the early 20th century. This engaging story follows the adventures of the Bastable children, particularly Oswald and his siblings, as they navigate their way through various mischiefs and attempts to be 'good.' The tale is marked by themes of childhood imagination, the desire for adventure, and the quest for morality. The opening of the book presents the Bastable children grappling with the concept of being good after a chaotic incident involving the family’s possessions. Uncle tells the children they resemble "jam" scattered about, leading to their feelings of guilt and desire to reform. They are later sent to the countryside to learn how to behave better, which they acknowledge is less of a punishment and more of a chance for adventure. They arrive at the Moat House where they anticipate fun while trying to establish a "Society for Being Good," a concept that proves both amusing and trying as they wrestle with their intrinsic nature of mischief and curiosity. The stage is set for their humorous efforts and escapades as they reconcile their wishes to be kind and good. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Edith Nesbit was an English writer and poet, who published her books for children as E. Nesbit. She wrote or collaborated on more than 60 such books. She was also a political activist and co-founder of the Fabian Society, a socialist organisation later affiliated to the Labour Party.