Rebecca, Peter and Phyllis are three British children (around the turn of the century) who live in a large, beautiful house in London with their lovely and creative mother and their very attentive father. One night their lives change dramatically when their father is mysteriously called away. The children and their mother have to "play at being poor" for awhile, pack up only what seems necessary and move to a house out in the country near a railway station. The story tells of their adventures in and around the railway station and the gradually unfolding mystery regarding their father. It's a lovely family story and Mrs. Nesbit is quite a gifted and interesting author. In the midst of their adventures, we discover a lot about character and the devotion children should have for their parents. This story is a great read-aloud for the whole family, and can be read independely by mid-grade-schoolers on up.