Accidental Magic; or Don't Tell All You Know
The story revolves around a young boy named Francis who discovers he has magical powers after accidentally making his aunt disappear. He learns to control his abilities with the help of a mysterious old man and uses them to help those in need, while keeping his newfound powers a secret from the rest of the world.
By Edith Nesbit · First published 1913 · Genre: Fantasy, Children's Literature, Adventure · 11,155 words
First lines
Quentin de Ward was rather a nice little boy, but he had never been with / other little boys, and that made him in some ways a little different / from other little boys. His father was in India, and he and his mother / lived in a little house in the New Forest. The house -- it was a cottage / really, but even a cottage is a house, isn't it? -- was very pretty and / thatched and had a porch covered with honeysuckle and ivy and white / roses, and straight red hollyhocks were trained to stand up in a row / against the south wall of it. The two lived quite alone, and as they had / no one else to talk to they talked to each other a good deal. Mrs. de / Ward read a great many books, and she used to tell Quentin about them / afterwards. They were usually books about out of the way things, for / Mrs. de Ward was interested in all the things that people are not quite / sure about -- the things that are hidden and secret, wonderful and / mysterious -- the things people make discoveries about. So that when the / two were having their tea on the little brick terrace in front of the / hollyhocks, with the white cloth flapping in the breeze, and the wasps / hovering round the jam-pot, it was no uncommon thing for Quentin to say / thickly through his bread and jam: --
What this Textopian page supports
Accidental Magic; or Don't Tell All You Know is listed on Textopian as a novel by Edith Nesbit, dated 1913 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novel
- Author: Edith Nesbit
- Date: 1913 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fantasy, Children's Literature, Adventure
- Length: 11,155 words
- Structure: 1 section, 229 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Accidental Magic; or Don't Tell All You Know by Edith Nesbit
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Similar titles
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- Grandsire Triples by Edith Nesbit
- The Magic City by Edith Nesbit
- White Magic by Edith Nesbit
- Magic by Edith Nesbit
- The Dyers Dog by Edith Nesbit
Genres
- Fantasy — The narrative involves magical elements that defy the laws of nature.
- Children's Literature — The story is written in a manner that is suitable and engaging for young readers.
- Adventure — The plot involves a series of exciting and risky experiences.
Tags
Fantasy · Children's Literature · Magic Realism · Adventure · Mystery · Family · Friendship · Growing Up · Self-Discovery · Humor · Satire · Social Commentary