The Wouldbegoods explains that children are like jam all very well in the proper place, but you can't stand them all over the shop—eh, what?'These were the dreadful words of our Indian uncle. They made us feel very young and angry; and yet we could not be comforted by calling him names to ourselves, as you do when nasty grown-ups say nasty things, because he is not nasty, but quite the exact opposite when not irritated.

The Wouldbegoods, a sequel to The Treasure Seekers, reacquaints us with the six Bastable children: Dora, Oswald, Dicky, Alice, Noel and H.O. Again, the story is told by you-may-not-know-who, and the children find all sorts of ways in which to amuse themselves in the country during the summer holidays. 'Children are like jam,' says the Indian uncle, 'all very well in the proper place, but you can't stand them all over the shop - eh, what?' Well, the children do their best, but they do get themselves into trouble - right from the beginning, when their latest brainwave is to create a jungle in the garden...

Edith Nesbit (15 August 1858—4 May 1924) was an English author and poet; she published her books for children under the name of E. Nesbit. She wrote or collaborated on over 65 books of fiction for children. She was also a political activist and co-founded the Fabian Society, a socialist organisation later affiliated to the Labour Party. She created an innovative body of work that combined realistic, contemporary children in real-world settings with magical objects – what would now be classed as contemporary fantasy – and adventures and sometimes travel to fantastic worlds. Nesbit also wrote for adults, including eleven novels, short stories and four collections of horror stories.