Army Public School Class 4 – The Railway Children Reader (2027-28)

The Railway Children by Edith Nesbit is the Class 4 reader on the Army Public School Class 4 list on this site. This is the Top Readers Level 2 edition from MM Publications, adapted for APSACS by H. Q. Mitchell and Marileni Malkogianni. The cover shows three girls in Edwardian dress waving at a green steam train, and it is marked "SRM" (supplementary reading material) and "Blended Learning Edition". This page is written for the 2027-28 session.

Exams Book House, Shop Number 4, Al Fazal Market, Urdu Bazar, Lahore, supplies it with cash on delivery across Pakistan and delivery to the Gulf countries.

Quick facts

• Title on the cover: The Railway Children · Edith Nesbit · Top Readers Level 2 · for APSACS · Supplementary Reading Material
• Publisher: MM Publications (Top Readers, SRM edition for APSACS)
• Original author: Edith Nesbit
• Adapted by: H. Q. Mitchell and Marileni Malkogianni
• Cover picture: three girls in Edwardian dress waving at a green steam train
• Edition: Top Readers, Level 2, from MM Publications, marked SRM (supplementary reading material)
• School mark: the Army Public Schools & Colleges System logo is printed on the cover
• Class: Class 4 · Army Public Schools & Colleges System
• Shown on: Army Public School Class 4, and in School Readers
• Session: 2027-28

What is this book?

From Class 4 the school moves away from the Oxford Reading Tree picture stories to adapted classics, and The Railway Children is the first. A simplified text keeps the story accessible while giving a nine- or ten-year-old a real novel to read from start to finish.

The book is not a textbook and it has no chapter list on its contents page that we could photograph. It opens with an introduction on page 2, and we describe the story from that introduction.

About the author and the story

The introduction on page 2 tells us that Edith Nesbit (1858 to 1924) was an English author and poet, famous for her children's books and described by her biographer Julia Briggs as the first modern writer for children. Her best-known titles include The Story of the Treasure Seekers, Five Children and It and The Railway Children (1906). She lost her father before her fourth birthday and spent three years at Halstead Hall in Kent, a place that probably inspired this story. She dedicated the book to her eldest son, Paul.

The story follows Bobbie, Peter and Phyllis. When their father suddenly goes away (they later learn that he is in prison because somebody falsely accused him), the family must leave its London house and move to the country. Their new home is near the railway, and the children have many adventures as they explore it. The introduction adds that the Dreyfus Affair was an inspiration for the father's story, and that the book has been adapted for the screen many times.

Why this book suits Class 4

A story about three children who must be brave and resourceful when their world changes is ideal for nine- and ten-year-olds. It teaches loyalty, honesty and kindness without preaching, and the adapted language means the child can enjoy the plot without a dictionary on every page. Reading a whole novel also builds stamina, which is the main purpose of this kind of reader.

The Army Public School reading ladder

The Railway Children is the first adapted classic in the school's reading list. Before it came the Biff, Chip and Kipper stories (Oxford Reading Tree Level 9 in Class 3). After it comes The Secret Garden in Class 5.

Why this book?

• The Railway Children is a lively, kind and exciting story about bravery
• An adapted classic that a Class 4 child can finish and feel proud of
• Part of the Army Public School reading ladder

Who is it for, and when is it used?

It is for Class 4 students at Army Public Schools, about nine or ten years old. It is used as home reading through the year; a chapter a night is a good pace. Ask your child to tell you what happened in each chapter, and talk about what they would do in Bobbie's place. Read it at home, on a journey or at the library.

How to help at home

• Read one chapter a night and ask "what happened today?"
• Ask what your child would do in Bobbie's place when the family has to move.
• Look at photographs of old steam trains together.
• Talk about honesty and why it matters when someone is accused wrongly.
• Keep a small reading log of new words.

Is it right for Army Public School Class 4 and session 2027-28?

On this site it is shown under Army Public School Class 4. If your school's 2027-28 list names The Railway Children, this is the book. Send us your list on WhatsApp and we will tell you what we can get for you.

Matching and similar books

• Army Public School Class 4 – Oxford Maths Course Book 4, another Army Public School Class 4 book (Maths).
• Army Public School Class 4 – Oxford Maths Workbook 4, another Army Public School Class 4 book (Maths).
• Army Public School Class 4 – Global English Learner's Book 4, another Army Public School Class 4 book (English).
• Army Public School Class 4 – Global English Activity Book 4, another Army Public School Class 4 book (English).

Buy it in Urdu Bazar, Lahore

• Shop: Exams Book House, Shop Number 4, Al Fazal Market, Urdu Bazar, Lahore 54000
• Urdu Bazar Lahore book shop number: 0317 4846676 (call or WhatsApp)
• Open: Monday to Saturday, 9 AM – 9 PM; closed on Sunday
• Delivery: all over Pakistan with cash on delivery, and to the Gulf countries

People also search for this book as

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Frequently asked questions

Who is the author?

Edith Nesbit wrote the original story; this edition is adapted by H. Q. Mitchell and Marileni Malkogianni.

Is it the full original novel?

No. It is an adapted Top Readers Level 2 edition for APSACS.

Is it a textbook?

No. It is Supplementary Reading Material (SRM).

What is the story about?

Three children who move near a railway after their father goes away, and the adventures they have there.

Is it on the Army Public School Class 4 list for 2027-28?

It is shown there on this site. Send your school list on WhatsApp so we can confirm.

Do you deliver outside Lahore?

Yes, all over Pakistan with cash on delivery, and to the Gulf countries. WhatsApp 0317 4846676.

Inside the book — contents and sample pages