Edith Nesbit wrote or collaborated on more than 60 books of fiction for children. She was also a political activist and co-founded the Fabian Society, a socialist organization later affiliated to the Labour Party. Most of the eleven stories in this collection were originally published in The Strand Magazine in 1899. Like Nesbit's other works, these tales are charming and will delight children of all ages. Included are such memorable stories as "The Book of Beasts," (where young Lionel is crowned king, but accidentally releases a dangerous fire dragon on his kingdom and must find a way to return the dragon to the magic book from whence it came), "The Island of the Nine Whirlpools" (featuring a princess and her true love, Nigel, who find the way -- via love and mathematics -- to free her from the curse her wicked father wished upon her), and "The Last of the Dragons" (about a princess who, not wanting to uphold the tradition that all royal maidens must be rescued from the dragon by their prince, insists that she be allowed to fight the dragon herself -- only to discover that this particular dragon is not at all interested in eating Princesses . . . nor in being killed by one).