Posted by andy clayton on January 05, 2012 at 02:10:22 user cousin_jack.
In Reply to: Re: Clear Ransome influence posted by Duncan on January 05, 2012 at 01:06:57:
Your posting got me trying to remember the Nesbit childrens names, in 'Five Children and it'. The family structure was 2 x boys, 2 x girls and a baby. Wikipedia provided the answer:
The five children, brothers and sisters, are:
Cyril – known as Squirrel
Anthea – known as Panther
Robert – known as Bobs
Jane – known as Pussy
Hilary – their baby brother, known always as the Lamb.
"It" is the Psammead.
http://uk.ask.com/wiki/Five_Children_and_It#Characters
The link shows a nice illustration of the characters dressed in Edwardian style costumes.
Tenuous AR connection - as a child he might very well have been similarly attired!
The children have distinct characters and have to deal with various situations without adult assistance. Where it differs from AR is that the situations arise from 'magic' rather than being based in realism.