The Abominables - Hardcover

Eva Ibbotson has long been a favorite of both children and adult readers on both sides of the Atlantic. Her novels include The Secret of Platform 13, Which Witch?, The Great Ghost Rescue, Island of the Aunt, Dial-a-Ghost, and Journey to the River Sea, which won the Smarties Prize. She died in 2010, in her home in Newcastle, England.

Gr 4-6-Lady Agatha Farlingham, an aristocratic girl, is kidnapped by a Himalayan yeti and taken to Nanvi Dar. As it turns out, the yeti and his ilk aren't the least bit abominable; they are kind and gentle. Agatha spends a long and happy life in Nanvi Dar, teaching her yetis English, proper manners, and values. When the now-elderly woman decides that her family of yetis must be transported to a safer place to escape tourists and hunters, siblings Con and Ellen, along with Perry the truck driver, aid them in the long journey to Agatha's ancestral Hampshire home. On the trip, the group saves the reputations of hapless St. Bernards, frees an entire zoo from a sultan's tyranny, and stops a Spanish bullfight. Once the yetis arrive at Farley Towers, they find it occupied by the Hunters' Club, who drop the yetis off in the middle of the Antarctic and plan to gun them down for sport. The novel is full of whimsy, charm, and sly humor. The yetis will tug at readers' heartstrings and make them laugh. The writing is lean, witty, and subtle. Ibbotson manages to touch on ethical messages of human rights, advocacy, and environmentalism without being obvious. The many happenings and asides within the narrative do not feel at all episodic but, instead, drive the plot forward in a smooth and logical manner. Struggling readers may have trouble deciphering a few British colloquialisms but will appreciate the quick pace of the prose. Published posthumously, this novel is a true gem among Ibbotson's many fine fantasies.-Elly Schook, Jamieson Elementary School, Chicagoα(c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.