The Daisies by Edith Nesbit (1902)
The story revolves around a child's fascination with daisies growing in a park and a garden. The child describes the beauty of the daisies, comparing them to millions of white-frilled faces, and how they call out to bluebells in the woods. In contrast, the child notes the strict maintenance of a nearby garden, where a respectable man keeps everything tidy but cuts down the daisies with his mowing machine. The child loves the daisies and wants them to grow freely, but the man insists on keeping things in their "proper places."
By Edith Nesbit · First published 1902 · Genre: Children's Literature, Fantasy, Adventure · 403 words
First lines
IN the great green park with the wooden palings- The wooden palings so hard to climb, There are fern and foxglove, primrose and violet, And green things growing all the time; And out in the open the daisies grow, Pretty and proud in their proper places, Millions of white-frilled daisy faces, Millions and millions-not one or two.
And they call to the bluebells down in the wood: "Are you out-are you in? We have been so good All the school-time winter through, But now it's playtime, The gay time, the May time; We are out and at play. Where are you?"
What this Textopian page supports
The Daisies is listed on Textopian as a short story by Edith Nesbit, dated 1902 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Edith Nesbit
- Date: 1902 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Children's Literature, Fantasy, Adventure
- Length: 403 words
- Structure: 1 section, 10 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Daisies 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 The Daisies?
- How does this short story by Edith Nesbit fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Children's Literature first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- The Mill by Edith Nesbit
- May Day by Edith Nesbit
- July by Edith Nesbit
- Septimus Septimusson by Edith Nesbit
- Accidental Magic Or Dont Tell All You Know by Edith Nesbit
- En Tout Cas by Edith Nesbit
Genres
- Children's Literature — The narrative is primarily aimed at young readers, with a simple and engaging plot, and themes of adventure and imagination.
- Fantasy — The story involves magical elements and fantastical settings, typical of the fantasy genre.
- Adventure — The plot involves a journey and a series of challenges, characteristic of adventure stories.
Tags
Children's Literature · Fantasy · Adventure · Family · Friendship · Growing Up · Imagination · Magic Realism · Coming of Age · Youth · Nostalgia · Rural Life