Kenneth and the Carp by Edith Nesbit
The story revolves around Kenneth, a young boy who befriends a magical carp that has the power to grant wishes. The carp, which lives in a pond near Kenneth's home, tells him that it will grant him six wishes if he frees it from the pond. Kenneth agrees and releases the carp, but soon realizes that his wishes are not turning out as expected.
By Edith Nesbit · First published 1913 · Genre: Children's Literature, Fantasy, Adventure · 8,073 words
First lines
Kenneth's cousins had often stayed with him, but he had never till now stayed with them. And you know how different everything is when you are in your own house. You are certain exactly what games the grown-ups dislike and what games they will not notice; also what sort of mischief is looked over and what sort is not. And, being accustomed to your own sort of grown-ups, you can always be pretty sure when you are likely to catch it. Whereas strange houses are, in this matter of catching it, full of the most unpleasing surprises.
What this Textopian page supports
Kenneth and the Carp is listed on Textopian as a novella 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: Novella
- Author: Edith Nesbit
- Date: 1913 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Children's Literature, Fantasy, Adventure
- Length: 8,073 words
- Structure: 1 section, 172 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Kenneth and the Carp 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
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering Kenneth and the Carp?
- How does this novella by Edith Nesbit fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Children's Literature first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
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- The Cat Hood Of Maurice by Edith Nesbit
- The Adventurer by Edith Nesbit
- July by Edith Nesbit
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Genres
- Children's Literature — The story revolves around a young boy and his adventures, making it suitable for a young audience.
- Fantasy — The narrative includes magical elements, such as a talking carp, which is characteristic of the fantasy genre.
- Adventure — The protagonist embarks on various escapades, aligning the book with the adventure genre.
Tags
Fantasy · Children's Literature · Adventure · Humor · Magic · Fish · Friendship · Growing Up · Imagination · Youth · Coming of Age · British Literature