ABSTRACT
This chapter details the siblings' attempts to invent a patent medicine. The nineteenth century witnessed intense debate over the nature of childhood and the place of children in modern society. Literature for adults explored this changing relationship between children and the market; portraits of children in peril from early responsibilities, workload, or the actions of adults who exploit rather than nurture them. Meanwhile, the burgeoning children's literature market categorized children as consumers, not producers, of material goods. From the earliest appearance of English-language children's books, then, educational philosophy has linked hands with marketing ploys to produce enduring connections among children's literature, materiality, and early training in ways to establish a middleclass identity. E. Nesbit's first book for children and the first of three novels focusing on the Bastable family, The Story of the Treasure Seekers marks a significant moment not only in her career but also in the history of children's literature.
