Story of the Amulet (version 2)

When the four children discover a half of a mysterious amulet in an antique shop, they have no idea it will sweep them across time and into the heart of ancient civilizations. Reunited with the Psammead, the grumpy, ancient sand-fairy from their earlier adventures, they set out to find the other half of the amulet that can grant their hearts' deepest desires. But the Psammead no longer grants wishes, and the amulet's power comes with rules the children must puzzle out for themselves. From the bustling streets of ancient Babylon to the temples of Egypt, the children chase their destiny through history, learning that the deepest magic lies not in wishes granted but in the courage to make the right choice. E. Nesbit wrote with a wit and warmth that made her revolutionary in her own century and utterly timeless in ours. Her children are never perfect, they squabble, they blunder, they sometimes behave quite badly, but they face the impossible with stubborn loyalty and stubborn humor. This is adventure at its most joyful: strange lands, stranger magic, and a family that refuses to give up on each other or on the strange, sandy creature who started it all.