The Water Babies (Collins Classics) Paperback – 2 Jan. 2012

I bought this book for my Mum who read it hundreds of times when she was a child. She wanted to read it again as her original copy had got lost years ago. She enjoyed it so much. It’s a beautiful classic that will never lose its magic. Highly recommend.

Although hard going at times I'm so glad to have read this book as an adult. Very moralistic, inventive, curious and engrossing. To be recommended.

Very pleased with product - arrived promptly. Bernard Cribbins always reads well. However, I did feel that it was abridged quite a bit, but if you havenot actually read the book, you probably wouldn't notice. Still a good story for pupils working on the Victorians in KS2.thank you

I have vague memories of this story from my childhood, but almost certainly from an abridged and illustrated edition. The fairy story/morality tale at the heart of this book is memorable and charming, although a strange mix of realism (poverty, exploitation of children...) and unbridled imagination.Reading the full story as an adult many decades later, I was intrigued mainly by the insights it gives into the Victorian mind and the preoccupations of the day. Many other readers have spoken about the social conscience and the paternalistic moralising; what struck me were the references to the explosion of scientific ideas of the time: geology, Darwinism, psychology, etc. (even if not known by those names at that date). Kingsley attempts to satirise the ideas and the debate around them, but since most of these are no longer live issues, this does not resonate for a modern reader. I found the satire a little smug and eventually rather tiresome. His prejudices against the Irish, the Americans, etc. would be shocking if they didn't reflect the attitudes of the time, but at least they are not laboured in the same way as the satire.Kingsley's tendency to comment (obliquely) on the ways of the world becomes very self-indulgent in the second half of the book, at the expense of the narrative, which becomes flabby and meandering. Maybe he's trying to reinforce the moralising message: children should sit still and read/listen to all these bloated pages, even if they don't understand them - it will be good for them!As for you, dear 21st-century adult reader, I advise you to skip most of the second half of the book with a clear conscience!

I must have read this book at least ten times over the years. It was read to me as a very young child and when I was able to read it for myself I did so throughout my life, most recently last year. I purchased this book for my Grand daughter aged 11years and whom happily is an avid reader. The book arrived well packaged and on time. I will happily recommend classic books such as the water babies to all my friends and family members for their youngsters/teens. Thank you

My wife & I bought this for Mother's Day for my wife's mum. My Mother-in-Law had been given this book as a child so had precious memories of it. It has been like giving her the crown jewels as she had been looking for a copy for many years.My Mother-in-Law also has the pleasure of reading to her 6yr Grandson and reliving the exciment that she and my wife have had from this treasure of childhood.

This was read to me when I was 5 and had left a deep impression. I decided to read it to a very elderly lady I care for. We are both enjoying it so much because we had forgotten most of it. It's very much of it's time but that also makes it interesting.

I remember the Water Babies of old, but I must have read a children's version in trying to recapture an idyllic childhood!! Unfortunately this was not the case, although the book was still interesting. Not really suitable for the modern child as numerous words are obviously Victorian and now completely out of use. Some conclusions by the author are explained in far too much detail for a 7 year old, which is what the book was aimed at. As a bedtime story though - sleep would quickly be induced!!