The Dragonfly Pool
4.2
31
5
1
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781436198875 |
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| Publisher: | Recorded Books, LLC |
| Publication date: | 02/04/2009 |
| Product dimensions: | 6.00(w) x 1.50(h) x 5.00(d) |
| Age Range: | 10 - 13 Years |
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Customer Reviews
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The Dragonfly Pool
4.2 out of 5
based on
0 ratings.
31 reviews.
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The king of a Bergania (a fictional country, though one that seems a lot like Switzerland) refuses to allow Hitler's troops to march through his country. Seeing this on a newreel at the movies, Tally is struck by his courage, and also interested in the prince, who's face she can't really see, obscured as it is by the plumes from his helmet. When the headmaster of Delderton (her boarding school) brings up an invitation to go to Bergania to participate in a folk dancing festival, Tally jumps at the chance, even though neither she nor any of her friends have any experience with folk dancing. Little do they know that their arrival in Bergania will coincide with a Nazi plot to get rid of the king and kidnap the prince.That Tally and her friends are able to smuggle the prince out of the country is really only half of this story. The other half is what happens to the prince once he's safely in England. Because he has family there, and as in other Ibbotson stories, his family is fairly horrible. They are convinced that they must continue his training so that he can assume his rightful place on the throne of Bergania after the war. Except that he doesn't really want to be king. He wants to join Tally and her friends at Delderton.And that's what this book is really about. It's about finding your place in the world, or making your place in the world, if the one that's set out for you isn't right. It's also about friendship and family and justice. If you've read other books by Ibbotson, you may find her books to be a bit formulaic, but this book is none the less charming for being similar to others.
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This is a light, charming story with serious undertones. Although a YA novel, it reminds me much more of Ibbotson's adult romances than of her other YA/children's books. 1939, the eve of World War II. A plucky young heroine, a beleagured central European prince, evil Nazis, daring escapes, nasty relatives, deposed royalty--all the familiar tropes of her romances. A heady brew, and loads of fun.
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Young Tally is being sent to boarding school in the country to protect her from the war. It's 1939, and her father is worried London will be the target of bombing from Hitler's air force. Tally's new school is progressive, and not like other boarding schools in England. She makes new friends, and is very happy. When the school is presented with a chance to perform a folk dance in Bergania, Tally rallies the students and teachers to go. She meets the young prince Karil, and her life changes as she discovers friendship and courage.
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A stunning look at WWII from the point of view of a British girl sent to a school in the countryside so as to protect her from the war. The school is progressive and she finds herself convincing her fellow students to travel to a country in Europe whose king has openly spoke against Hitler and made him unable to enter the small country. There is an assassination and the sudden need to help a prince escape from the country. I'm not sure why I loved this book so much, I believe it was the characters and the easy to follow plot. I just got so enraptured by this book that I kept reading when I could and finally reached the end today.
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Eva Ibbotson might give Edith Nesbit a run for her money with this story loosely based in Europe at the beginning of World War II. Though not a historical novel, readers will find this Hitler to be the source of a delicious plot to steal a throne and kidnap the child prince, when a group of British schoolchildren come to the rescue. Tally, the heroine, is a girl with a wonder for nature and a thoroughly good instinct in caring for other people. Ibbotson departs from her usual ghosts and magic to investigate the human magic of compassion and succeeds more than admirably.
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When Tally Hamilton sees the kingdom of Bergania in a travelogue, she's immediately drawn to it. She convinces her boarding school to visit the country and take part in their folk dancing festival. The children meet young Prince Karil of Bergania and help smuggle him out of the country when Nazis threaten to invade. This book has the fairy tale feel and pleasant characters that I've come to expect from Ibbotson, but the plot really lost steam for me about halfway through.
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Tally is a determined little girl who gets sent off to a boarding school called Delderton as Hitler¿s growing power brings the threat of war to London, where she lives with her father. At first she is not thrilled, but she soon falls in love with Delderton, its teachers and students and its carefree joyous approach to learning. Later, Delderton sends a convoy of children to a folk dancing festival in the fictional country of Bergania, where Tally befriends Berganian prince Karil, who is in danger from the Nazis.Aw, The Dragonfly Pool was wonderful. Karil and Tally were total dears, and Eva Ibbotson of course included some rich posh mean people, as she often does. The bit of the story where Karil has to live with his dreadful posh relatives is quite awful, and the descriptions of Tally¿s life at Delderton correspondingly lovely. When they are in Bergania trying to help Karil get away from the Nazis, I found myself getting quite choked up. I am easily choked up about people standing up to the Nazis.
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Tally dosnt want to go to bording school but she is in for a shock! Can Tally save the Prince who is in danger while she has a friendship by the dragonfly pool?
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I love all of Ibbotson's work - it has a similar "flavour" almost which gives the same reassurance as reading a series but with new characters and settings each time.This one particularly reminded me of A song for Summer but for younger readers but I would say that it is equally readable as an adult with the added bonus of all the comic moments which don't tend to appear in adult fiction.
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Tally has a bit of Sara Crewe of A Little Princess about her; although her father is still alive, she is a singularly compassionate and generous person, well-liked by almost all who meet her; luckily, her worries and occasional imperfections make her wisdom lovely rather than irritating. Prince Karil and several adults receive meticulous and fascinating character development, but many characters remain rather one-dimensional, known mainly by one or two eccentric traits. The unsympathetic characters, and in particular Karil¿s awful London-based relatives, come across as ludicrous cartoons, so unremittingly negative is their depiction. Although the battle between good and evil is painted with a broad brush, Ibbotson treats most issues with a wise, subtle, and always humorous touch. The epilogue, taking place six years later, is most satisfying and will have readers giggling through their tears.
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The story grabbed me from the very beginning. Tally is a great character. Sent to a liberal boarding school due to the impending war she adapts to the school in a good way. She's a person who tries to help everyone around her. When the school gets invited to an international festival of traditional dances she helps organise a group. Little does she know what will happen next as they travel to a small European nation threatened by Hitler.I really loved this read, someone, possibly on Goodreads, recommended it to me as a read and I have to give them kudos, this was a perfect me book. I also loved the authors introduction.
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On the eve of world war II, Tally's father is offered a chance to send his young daughter away from London, and the home she brightens up, to the country for safety. Though reluctant to go, she soon makes a place for herself in the progressive school of Delderton, and goes on to have an adventure in Bergania (set in Europe), in the teeth of an impending occupation.This is a nicely written story for young adults, which comes close to, but skims, the horrors of war. As a parent with two young children, I found the relationships between fathers and their respective children moving. I do like Tally, who always stands up for what is right, no matter what.
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Tally is living in 1939 London and Hitler is on the move. With this threat looming, Tally's father decides to send Tally to a school far away. She has always been an obedient daughter and doesn't want to create anymore pain for her father so she goes. Her father, a doctor is well respected in the area because he is one of the best yet treats the poor no different than he would treat the rich. The difference is they have very little money. His brother, also a successful doctor and his wife recommend that he send Tally to school with their daughter. It is considered one of the top schools in the country. Tally begs her father not to send her to such a snobby place. She ends up at Delderton a progressive school where each child is allowed to pursue their own line and way of learning. Tally is unlike many of the children. The headmaster describes her as "a girl who wants to make the world a better place". After going to the movies with her friend Julia and watching a newsreel on Bergania she is filled with admiration for the King of that country for standing up to Hitler. When the opportunity to visit that country to participate in a Folk Dance Festival she pushes everyone into creating a dance so that they may participate. Little did she know when she went that she would meet and become friends with the Prince. There is no way she could know that she would play a part in his survival when his father is killed.One of my favorite characters to hate was Carlotta. She was the daughter of a Prince and the cousin to Prince Karil. She was being groomed to be his wife one day. He hated her snobbery. She and Tally's cousin Margaret would have gotten along famously. They liked to drop names all of the time. It reminded me of a time I taught in an international school. I taught English and Science and happened to have the son of a music star. He didn't do his work. After the third missed assignment I told him I would have to contact his father. He looked at me and laughed and said, "Do you know who I am"? I never cracked a smile as I said, "Yes, you are one of my students that I have been charged with teaching. I also know who your father is and know that he will not be pleased with such a call." He didn't believe me. We (the administration and myself) made the call and his father put him on a one month probation and if he had not brought his grades up then he would be sent back to England. He didn't believe him. He didn't do the work and his father pulled him back. He felt if the wasn't willing to be serious about his studies then there was no reason for him to waste money on his son's education in another country. Name dropping never did anything for me. I was not awed and I was not intimidated. It might have something to do with growing up in a family where my father was a gospel singer. I loved meeting these people I admired but did not worship them. I felt sorry for Karil who was in a family where appearances were everything. It wasn't enough he'd lost both parents and his country, he was losing his identity by being forced to live a life he didn't agree with. This is a definite must read book. I had it in e-book form but will definitely have several copies on my shelf this fall. I have always loved Eva Ibbotson's books and this one was one of the best I have ever read.
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