Five Children and It (TV series)
Edwardian children meet a literal-minded wish-granting sand fairy.
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Five Children and It is a 1991 television series directed by Marilyn Fox, based on the novel by E. Nesbit. It aired on BBC1 from 9 January to 13 February 1991, consisting of six parts. The series follows a family of Edwardian children who encounter a wish-granting fairy called a Psammead.
Background
The series follows five siblings—Robert, Anthea, Cyril, Jane, and little brother 'the Lamb'—staying at their uncle's countryside house for the summer. While exploring a gravel pit, they discover a Psammead (Sand Fairy) who grants one wish per day, with each wish fading by sunset and often backfiring due to literal interpretation. Their wishes lead to misadventures, such as gold coins no shop will accept or unwanted attention after wishing to be beautiful.
As the series progresses, the children learn lessons about fantasy, responsibility, and forethought. The Psammead's quirks become clearer, and the siblings muddle through funny scrapes and close calls, growing closer as a family. By the end, they tire of the chaos and realize true joy does not require magic, bidding farewell to the grumpy Sand Fairy.
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Five Children and It (TV series) (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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