Over the decades, young readers may not have spent long considering just who wrote The Railway Children and The Story of the Treasure Seekers, but Edith Nesbit (1858-1924) is considered the first modern writer for children. Uncovering the little-known details of Nesbit's life, Eleanor Fitzsimons notes how this Fabian Society cofounder hosted legendary parties and had admirers by the dozen—including George Bernard Shaw—while enduring a very unusual marriage. Fitzsimons also reveals Nesbit to have been a committed socialist who incorporated these ideas into her writing, thereby influencing a generation of children.

"A charming, lively, and old-fashioned biography…. Fitzsimons delivers a sprightly and highly readable life of a writer who deserves even wider recognition."—Publishers Weekly