Island of the Aunts

These are the opening words of "The Island of Aunts" and they set the tone for the wry, gentle humour of this charming book. If you'd love to be whisked away to a hidden island and help look after amazing creatures like: Krakens, boobrie birds, selkies, stoorworms and mermaids - then this is the book for you.

The writing is both magical and poetical - and manages to carriy a wonderfully uplifting conservationist message with such subtlety, that the reader is hardly aware of it. The child characters are a delight - and the aunts ... well, the aunts are as all good aunts should be: utterly dotty!

A wonderful book by Eva Ibbotson. However, if you are an Ibbotson fan, make certain you haven't got a copy already; it's also sold on amazon with an alternate title : "Monster Mission!"


Magic !   April 25, 2002
 25 out of 26 found this review helpful

This is a wonderful book. My 9 year old loved it. From the opening sentence "Kidnapping children is never pleasant but sometimes it has to be done" this book is enchanting. This is the story of three eccentric and loveable aunts living on a magical island and caring for a host of fantastic creatures who's existence is threatened by a wicked developer. To ensure the creatures existence they hatch a plan which requires the kidnapping of two children for it's execution (only they accidentally end up with three!) The children (who's homes, in the best fairytale tradition, were not entirely happy)learn to care for a disgruntled mermaid family, a depressed worme and a baby narwahl and ultimatly discover hidden resources within themselves to save the island. Funny and magical. Well worth reading. I loved it almost as much as my daughter.


A great read.   January 1, 2002
 2 out of 7 found this review helpful

I loved this book. It is both touching & funny with an inventive & unusual plot.


A Great Book   February 24, 2001
 2 out of 9 found this review helpful

This is a Wonderful book I read after a friend loaned me "The Secret of Platform 13" which was also great! I think that everyone who likes magical creatures and a good story should read this book!