The Dragonfly Pool

by Eva Ibbotson

At first Tally doesn’t want to go to the boarding school called Delderton. But she soon discovers that it is a wonderful place where freedom and selfexpression are valued. Tally organizes a ragtag dance troupe so the school can participate in an international folk dancing festival in Bergania in the summer of 1939. There she befriends Karil, the crown prince, who would love nothing more than to have ordinary friends and attend a school like Delderton. When Karil’s father is assassinated, it is up to Tally and her friends to help Karil escape the Nazis and the bleak future he has inherited.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Young Adult, Fiction, Childrens, Middle Grade, Historical, Fantasy

401 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 23, 2008

About the author

Eva Ibbotson (Maria Charlotte Michelle Wiesner) was a novelist specializing in romance and children's fantasy.

She was born in Vienna, Austria, in 1925. When Hitler appeared, her family moved to England. She attended Bedford College, graduating in 1945; Cambridge University from 1946-47; and the University of Durham, graduating with a diploma in education in 1965. Eva had intended to be a physiologist but was put off by animal testing. Instead, she married and raised a family, returning to school to become a teacher in the 1960s. They have three sons and a daughter.

Eva began writing with the television drama “Linda Came Today” in 1965. Ten years later, she published her first novel, “The Great Ghost Rescue”. Eva has written numerous books including “The Secret Of Platform 13”, “Journey To The River Sea”, “Which Witch?”, “Island Of The Aunts”, and “Dial-A-Ghost”. She won the Nestlé Smarties Book Prize for “Journey To The River Sea” and has been a runner up for many of major awards for British children's literature.

Her books are imaginative and humorous and most of them feature magical creatures and places, despite that she disliked thinking about them. She created the characters because she wanted to decrease her readers' fear of such things.

Some of the books, particularly “Journey To The River Sea”, reflect Eva's love of nature. Eva wrote this book in honour of her husband (who had died before), a naturalist. The book had been in her head for years.

Eva said she dislikes "financial greed and a lust for power" and often creates antagonists in her books who have these characteristics. Some have been struck by the similarity of “Platform 9 3/4” in J.K. Rowling's books to Eva's “The Secret Of Platform 13”, which came out three years before the first Harry Potter book.

Her love of Austria is evident in works such as “The Star Of Kazan” and “A Song For Summer”. These books, set in the Austrian countryside, display the author's love for all things natural.

Reviews

[Betsy · Rating 5 out of 5]

To read a book that is pure pleasure is a gift, particularly when you've been reading a lot of so-so or merely okay books for a while. My history with Eva Ibbotson has been a kind of stilted one. As a librarian I've shelved her fantasies on a regular basis. As a reader I tasted one of her realistic stories ( The Star of Kazan) and one of her more imaginative flights of fancy ( Island of the Aunts). And I did like them both, but that was all. I "liked" them. I didn't love them, look forward to going back to them, or think about them in my spare time. They were fine and they were good and they were completely insufficient when it came to preparing me for The Dragonfly Pool. This book has all the cleverness and charm of her previous books. But rather than indulge in a steady slow-building charm, the text in this book dives right for your throat from the start and clasps you tight for the rest of the tale. If you've never read an Ibbotson before, I suspect that here would be an excellent place to start. She has gripping kid-friendly writing down to an art.

Tally, as it turns out, is the last to know. When her hard-working but penniless father tells his daughter that she has a chance to attend a progressive boarding school called Delderton, Tally is miserable at the thought. Leave all her friends and family for some school outside of London where she knows no one? The world is on the brink of WWII and it's no wonder that Tally's father is inclined to get her out of town. Once at the school, however, the girl finds herself greatly enjoying herself, learning the strengths and secrets of the kids around her. And when a chance comes to start a folkdancing group and perform in the little nation of Bergania, nothing could be sweeter. While there she even manages to strike up a friendship with the crown prince Karil. Bergania is one of the few European nations unwilling to submit to Hitler and his demands, and when tragedy strikes it's up to Tally to help Karil any way she can and up to Karil to determine once and for all what it is he would like to be as a person.

The publishing blog Pub Rants once proffered a piece of writing advice that I've been turning over in my mind ever since; "writers should not mistake voice for character development." Easier said than done. Ibbotson certain has voice down, but character development. . . . character development she has DOWN down, man! Example A: Consider the description of Tally's personality. A mediocre writer would say that she was strong and show one scene involving personal strength, leaving it at that. A better writer would be subtle and let Tally's strength emerge and surface as a natural part of the text. And then there is Eva Ibbotson. She wants to make it clear that Tally has a clear view of purpose and commitment. So how exactly do you show that? You throw in small unforgettable details alongside the naturally emerging strengths. You mention that her grandmother spent a lot of her time washing the socks of beggars, and that it takes a certain amount of character and determination to get those socks OFF of the beggars' feet first. Details such as this do not grow on trees. They don't grow in the brains of many writers either, for that matter.

I've often thought that class is to England what race is to America. This isn't to say that America can't be classist and England can't be racist (racism and classism are horribly universal in that sense), but we've very different histories in both areas. In the case of this book, class is a constant companion to Tally. Her father is a good doctor who would rather cure a patient than make a quick buck, and as a result he doesn't make a lot of money. Karil is royalty, a fact that allows him to fit in perfectly in British society since he is considered of great quality (in spite of the fact that the family loses money like water through a sieve). Another offspring of classism is where you chose to send your children to school. Hence Delderton becomes a kind of anti-boarding school. It is said that the actress Tilda Swinton refuses to act in the Harry Potter movies because they romanticize the boarding school experience. Whether you consider that to be true or not, they certainly make schools with houses and colors and sports sound neat. As a progressive school Ibbotson cleverly makes it clear why it is that Tally much prefers Delderton, where she might stifle (or at the very least be unhappy) at a posh prep school elsewhere. And on the bookflap of this title Ibbotson notes that Delderton was modeled after the real school Dartington that she attended when she was young, pet hut and all.

The temptation when you read a book like this is to suddenly try to sell it to your fellows with grabby sentences like, "Eva Ibbotson! Now with Nazis!" Now I am German. German roots run thick in my blood on my paternal grandmother's side, and it has always kind of bugged me how children's authors tackle the German people during WWII. Generally it's just easier to make everyday Germans out to be Nazis, except for anyone Jewish of course. This is just a smidgen insulting and never fails to raise my hackles when I come across it. Now consider the Dragonfly Pool take. Not only are there good Germans here, but they also come up in a variety of different manners. There are the German folkdancing children who are described as being anything but Hitler Youth (and who consequently are sent back home for this very flaw). There is the teacher at Delderton who loves a German man, one that actually is drafted to fight for his country but isn't villanized for it. It's rather impressive, really. We don't usually consider Ibbotson the kind of author who takes risks, but little moments like these would be avoided entirely by a weaker, lesser writer.

And . . . and . . . and . . . well let's just get past all the hoopla and rigmarole I've written here and speak truth to power: Ibbotson is just a really remarkably writer. Look, I've even highlighted a passage in the book that I took delicious delight in (little knowing how important it would turn out to be later in the story): "Prince Dmitri's mother, the old Princess Natalia, brought a small, low-slung dog with a topknot and an ancient pedigree. Pom-Pom was descended from a long line of Outer Mongolian pedestal (or snuggle) dogs, which had been bred to warm the feet of the Great Khans in their drafty palaces and now wheezed through the corridors of Rottingdene House, seeking the dark, familiar world of legs and shoes and toes." Somewhere in the world they may try to teach children's authors how to write sentences like this. They may, but I can't help but think it takes a very particular, very rare talent to conjure up such stuff, let alone make it so interesting to read. The use of "low-slung" is particularly delicious, I think.

The craziest thing about this book, to me anyway, was that I never knew where it was going. I always enjoyed the ride, but when I expected the plot to make an expected turn to the right, suddenly it would dash off hell-for-leather to the left, leaving me panting in its wake. So I have a suggestion on how to use this book in school. Teachers who read it in class, a chapter at a time, should ask the class after each reading to predict where it's going to go. These predictions should be recorded and retained throughout the story so that the kids get a sense of how to plot a story, the amount of work that goes into making it hold together in a coherent fashion, etc. They could even write their own chapters each time! An ultimate writing assignment that is actually fun waits in the pages of this book.

If you are looking for a book to assign in a bookgroup or a title that would work brilliantly in discussion, if you need a story to readaloud to a group, a title to recommend to a bright kid who prefers a little realism, or a novel that is simply pure enjoyment on the page, The Dragonfly Pool is something to consider. Little wonder that the image on the cover gleams in iridescent colors; this book is a gem. A wonderful introduction to Ibbotson for the uninitiated, and a joyful discovery for those readers already under her sway.

Ages 8-12.

[Manybooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

So yes indeed, I have most definitely found very much about which to to be both willing and able to wax poetically and enthusiastically with regard to Eva Ibbotson’s 2008 Middle Grade novel The Dragonfly Pool. For aside from the fact that I have found Ibbotson’s writing style and characterisation for the most part delightfully descriptive and nuanced (and yes, even if main protagonist Tally Hamilton should in my opinion also have a bit of mischievousness incorporated, since she does sometimes feel a trifle too much like a traditional and proverbial goody-two-shoes), the boarding school story setting and aspect of The Dragonfly Pool, and thus in particular part one of Ibbotson’s featured narrative and storyline (with Delderton showing itself as delightfully progressive with regard to students’ individuality being promoted and celebrated, except that as a language instructor myself, I kind of do have some personal issues with the Delderton students not needing to attend their classes, because well, if I spend hours preparing a given lesson, I really and honestly would want and expect my students to have to show up and participate in class), yes, this has definitely all been a total and utter reading joy and marvellously engaging.

And furthermore, I also truly majorly, massively do appreciate that throughout The Dragonfly Pool Eva Ibbotson never stoops down to making ALL Germans appear as potential Nazis and thus as monsters, that she clearly distinguishes between Naziism and being German, something which as a person of German background has really made me smile appreciatively, since far too often, novels set in WWII tend to depict all Germans as horrid monstrosities, and it sure has been positive and wonderful to read about German background characters such as for example Magda (who is clearly shown in The Dragonfly Pool as in no way being a Nazi) and that even the German children attending the folk dancing festival are depicted by Eva Ibbotson as being first and foremost children and as children also victims themselves of National Socialism and the Third Reich.

However and the above having been said, I for one have neither particularly appreciated nor enjoyed that the second part of The Dragonfly Pool takes place in an imagined European country. Because yes, for me (and even though I have still found the story of Prince Karil of Bergania needing to escape from Nazi influenced traitors after the assassination of his father engaging and exciting), I do think Eva Ibbotson’s text loses some of its power and its significance by having the action take place not in a bona fide European country but in Bergania, in basically an artificial locality (since yes indeed, for me and my reading pleasure, having The Dragonfly Pool take place in an actual European country like say Liechtenstein or Luxembourg would definitely render the entire second part of The Dragonfly Pool considerably more authentic and more steeped in historical realism). And thus, while much of The Dragonfly Pool has certainly been a solid four stars for me, the fact that the second part of Eva Ibbotson’s story takes place in a “pretend country” so to speak, this has most definitely rather annoyed and frustrated me enough to consider a general ranking of only three stars for The Dragonfly Pool (a quite high three stars to be sure, but I just do really wish that Bergania were in fact an actual and existent European nation).

[Daisy May Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's nothing quite out there that reaches Eva Ibbotson at her very best. She writes like buttery crumpets on a midwinter's day; hot, fat moments that can be tasted on your tongue, warmth in every word and that magical storytelling quality that makes nothing else matter but the read. An Ibbotson book is a world-stopper sort of book, something that makes you unable to quite see clearly until it's over and then you're struck by that moment of absence, of severance from the story book world.

The Dragonfly Pool is one of my favourites of hers; a hybrid of a passionate, eccentric school story with a Ruritanian adventure, all of which takes place in the tight, tense dawn of the second world war. It's a substantial book that flies by and so much of that is due to Ibbotson's intensely delicious skill in writing; set pieces that sing, and moments that feel genuinely big and world-changing in their contect.

The school in this book - Delderton Hall - is based on the progressive school that Ibbotson herself attended: Dartington Hall. For a little bit of background on the school itself, have a look at this achingly wistful and equally eye-opening article. Ibbotson describes the school as a school like no other and, many many years later, when I attended university at the same site, I first came across The Dragonfly Pool and realised that she was right. Dartington was magical. Unreal. And she catches that, she catches that twist of eccentricity, hope and oddity so beautifully.

It's easy to read some of the more fanciful moments in this as naive or blindly idealistic, but I think there's something more to it than that. I think that, in a way, The Dragonfly Pool is more of a polemic against evil and war itself; a treatise on how humanity is more than what it came to in that moment in 1939, and how hope and belief and friendship, sometimes, is one of the most powerful things in the world. It is one of those books with so much more in it than is immediately apparent, and the subtleties of it are there for those who want to see them. The roundness of her characters, the thick layers which are so lightly and skillfully revealed, will never fail to leave me both madly envious of and in love with her skills. Ibbotson is one of those authors who gives you a story that spirals and sings and touches the stars, and brings you along with every moment. There is such richness here.

[Lady Clementina ffinch-ffarowmore · Rating 4 out of 5]

A school story, a Ruritanian adventure, a story rich in nature, a story about friendship and about family, about World War II and standing up to the Nazis, and also about freedom—The Dragonfly Pool (2008) is all of these—a strange seeming combination perhaps, but one that works rather well.

In The Dragonfly Pool, we meet Talitha Hamilton or Tally, a twelve-year-old being brought up by her father, a talented doctor who has chosen to work with poorer patients, and his two sisters, Aunt Hester and Aunt May, after her mother’s death just after she is born. Tally is being sent to a boarding school Delderton Hall on a scholarship, at the recommendation of one of Dr Hamilton’s patients, even though neither the doctor, nor the aunts, and nor indeed anyone in the neighbourhood wants her to go but with the war looming, it seems the most sensible decision. Tally too is reluctant, even more so when her richer cousins (for Dr Hamilton’s brother practices with wealthy patients and has done well for himself) begin to tell her about all the things she would need in a ‘proper’ boarding school. But Delderton Hall is none of that, a progressive school with rather Bohemian teachers (including her tutor Matteo with his biology lessons that begin at 4 am) and an interesting approach to lessons, Tally finds she loves the place instantly, and everything that goes on in it.

Then on a trip to the village with a friend to watch a film, Tally comes across an interesting European kingdom, Bergania, whose King is one of the few standing up to Hitler, and feels an immediate connection, besides admiration for the King. And as circumstances would have it, the school receives an invitation to participate in a folk dance competition in Bergania, and Tally makes sure a team is ready to go. But Bergania is facing serious trouble, and the King and his son, young prince Karil are in danger. But what role do Tally and her friends end up playing? Do they help the Berganians?

This is rather a difficult story to summarise, since so much happens in it. Yet, as I said, all of it somehow works together and turns out rather wonderfully too. The Dragonfly Pool is the first of Eva Ibbotson’s books that I’ve read that is outside the fantasy realm, and as with her books that have fantasy elements, this too explores themes that are autobiographical and those close to her heart but does so more directly than the fantasy titles.

To start with, there is Delderton Hall, a school which I thought was so Bohemian that it had to be fictional, but it turns out as Ibbotson tells us in her note, it is based on a school she herself actually attended. It is certainly an intriguing place, and I do love their approach to lessons and the generally relaxed atmosphere, even if some things felt too much for my comfort level.

Another typical theme for Ibbotson that stands out in the book is of course nature; whether it is simply in Delderton’s beautiful surroundings (where everything grows from primroses and violets to campions and foxgloves—depending on the season of course—where a pair of otters live in the river, kingfishers skim the water and russet Devon cows wander the fields), or on the biology lessons with Matteo which invariably involve nature walks, or the dragonfly pool of the title in Bergania, her love for it shines all through.

But really when we look at the story or interwoven stories that the book explores, what lies at its heart, and which reflects Ibbotson’s own experiences having had to escape her home Austria with her family and emigrate to England when still a child, is that of freedom. And the book brings it up in different contexts. On a broader plane there is the freedom of people as a whole, and the need to prevent regimes like that of the Nazis or fascists from gaining power. But it also talks of freedom at a personal level—to be able to learn, to explore, to make friends, to become what you wish without being tied by senseless systems or traditions. At the same time, we are reminded that it is also not about causing others distress or inconvenience.

And we explore these themes through the stories of very likeable characters, whether it is Tally and her family, or the students and teachers at Delderton, who at times take on rather different roles that we expect, or Karil and his father. Then there are the villains of the piece, some who are out to cause our characters real physical harm, but also others who seem to mean well (by their own standards) but impact our characters’ (mostly, Karil’s) well-being all the same. There is adventure of course, misunderstandings, and also some very real dangers and it is fun to see how Tally and her friends come through it all.

A lovely and enjoyable read over all.

p.s. The Dragonfly Pool of the title has a small role to play, a place of peace and of just being away from the complications of everyday life, but it turns out largely symbolic though with a parallel in the pond near the school at Delderton

[Dannii Elle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actual rating 3.5/5 stars.

Tally Hamilton was very reluctant to leave war-torn London for the safety of a Devon boarding school, but quickly found, on arrival, that her temporary home also had as much that appealed to her. She was a very thoughtful child and often found herself concerned with the woes of her school friends, as well as seriously troubled by what was happening in the world around her.

This alternated between a charming and quite a harrowing read. War overshadowed all events and I thought this author introduced the horrors of what the people alive then were enduring, without making this an unbearably tragic read for younger readers. She did not spare them from understanding that atrocities were carried out by the Nazis however, although depictions of just what they were did not feature.

[Christina Baehr · Rating 4 out of 5]

How did I never write a review of this?! Delightful, literate, charming, hopeful, funny. This is the third I’ve read of hers after THE STAR OF
KAZAN and JOURNEY TO
THE RIVER SEA and I’m astonished by how good they are. These are children’s books that are never crass or didactic, and they are beautifully crafted. Good enough for me to enjoy reading them aloud, which is high praise.

[Beth Bonini · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel for older children -- 11 to 13 is probably the ideal age, but my almost 14 year old loved it -- is a good example of the Ibbotson oeuvre. I was working on a unit of Ibbotson books, and having read about seven of them in a row (not to mention those I've read in the past), a clear pattern of "Ibbotson values" emerged. For instance: Love of the environment, the importance of friendship, displaced or orphaned persons (the search for a home is a major theme), standing up to bullies, being useful/finding out what you are good at. Most importantly, no matter how threatening and imperfect the world there is always a happy ending. This particular novel, more than almost any other, draws upon some of Ibbotson's own history. The setting of Delderton Hall, the "experimental" school in this novel, is based on Dartington Hall School which Ibbotson attended when she was a child. The outbreak of World War II also impacts the plot to a large extent, although it is kept in the background for most of the novel.

[Miriam Simut]

DNFing on page 107 / 25% of the way through. I gave this a fair shot but couldn’t connect… and I’m trying to focus on reading the books that I really connect to, books I WANT to invest my time in.

[M · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Dargonfly Pool is the last of the Ibbotson 'adventure classics' series and the only one to have not won a Nestle Children's Book Prize and it's easy to see why. The books is good but lacks the magic of "Journey to the River Sea" and "star of Kazan". Or I should say the second half of the book did.

The first half still had that absolute joy. The delightful adorable spinster aunts,the worried and over worked parent, the child who is helpful and sweet. Ibbotson's characters are the only ones I've read till date which are heart warming and sweet without being sickeningly sweet. They are nice and innocent and helpful-but never annoyingly so. They are innocent yet not silly, child like and yet not childish.

The minor characters are well etched as usual. You just want to grab and hug each and every one of them. Well most of them. In this book I felt she had made a few characters highly one dimensional(Verity, Carlotta). They were proud and selfish without redemption. A little hard to digest.

One place where Ibbotson's magic was unsullied in this book was the places she painted with her words. They are unfailingly beautiful, breath taking and better than anything you've ever seen. She somehow manages to give cities, meadows and small towns mind numbingly beautiful. I can never really describe how easily she makes you fall for places you've never even been to. Or how they haunt you forever. They make you want to hold a pillow tight to yourself and then dream of the world she creates.

The one thing I just couldn't reconcile myself to in this book was how quickly the two main characters became friends for life. She tries to justify it again and again but I just couldn't relate to or believe it. Probably why I didn't like it so much. Also how Tally cares about Karil more than anyone else and is possesive of him after just a few days of travelling baffles me. Ah well, that may be just me.

To anyone reading Ibbotson for the first time I recommend "Journey to the River Sea" and "Star of Kazan"

[Tanja · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read many books by Eva Ibbotson. She almost always has a female character that is innately good. She affects others by her lack of knowing how great she really is and she can move people to action. What I liked about this book is it came about because of Eva's own experience at bording school. The main character goes off to school and it is a very unusual school. Tally soon learns what kinds of horrors war can bring. I like this book and I think I liked it better because I listened to it. The reading did it in an English accent and I enjoyed that. If you have never read an Eva Ibbotson book, I recommend "A company of Swans" but this one was fun to read.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This had a more cohesive plot than the last Ibbotson I read (Journey to the River Sea). I enjoyed the historical accuracy and that Ibbotson wanted to tackle something as serious as the Nazis in middle grade fiction. However, I think I just prefer her magical works more than those placed firmly in reality.

[Deborah · Rating 1 out of 5]

surprisingly awful,especially given that it was partially based on ibbotson's own childhood experiences. it offers badly rehashed themes from ibbotson's other (better) books and unintentionally trivializes war with its simplistic characters and almost unbelievable naivette.

[Alex Baugh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eva Ibbotson was an unusual writer. She didn’t begin publishing children’s books until she was 50 and, she didn’t publish The Dragonfly Pool until she was 83. In addition, because of her own unhappy childhood, she had penchant for happy endings.

Yet, when I first began reading The Dragonfly Pool, I didn’t think I would like it. But I was wrong. The story begins in London, in the spring of 1939. Everyone is preparing for the expected war, and the Hamilton household is no different. Tally Hamilton has received a scholarship to a boarding school in the countryside. She doesn’t really want to go and leave her friends and her family, her dad Dr. Hamilton and her two aunts May and Hester.

Tally is quite pleased, however, when she reaches the school, Delderton, to find it is nothing at all like the schools she has read about in books, rather it is a progressive school where students can pursue their interests. Tally quickly settles in and makes friends with the other students, particularly with Julia.

One Saturday, while at the movies with Julia, Tally sees a newsreel about a small country in Europe named Bergania, whose king is trying to hold out against Hitler who wants to use the small country to his advantage. Tally immediately feels herself drawn to this country, particularly the young boy who is the king’s son.

Later, she school receives an invitation from Bergania to participate in a dance festival it is holding. Tally manages to convince the school to participate in the dance festival as a show of support to the small country. The Deldertonian kids make up a dance, and travel to Bergania. One day, while out walking around, Tally meets the Prince of Bergania, Karil, and together they go exploring the forest that surrounds the town. There they come across a pool of water, the Dragonfly Pool, a favorite place of Karil and his father. Karil asks Tally why they had come to Bergania and she tells him about the newsreel. She thought the King was strong and brave to hold out against Hitler’s pressure and she wanted to come as a show of support. Tally and Karil become instant friends.

As it happens, one of their escorts, science teacher Matteo, was once a very good boyhood friend of the King, but had long ago parted ways over a disagreement. On the day of the dance festival, the King and Prince Karil, ride into the center of town, and just as the King is opening to festival he is shot dead by people hired by the Gestapo. Before dying, the King asks Matteo to look after his son.

The real adventure begins when it is time to leave Bergania and the students, led by Tally, must try to sneak Karil back to England with them because the Gestapo men want to take him into their custody and send him to Colditz, a castle in Leipzig used by the Nazis as a POW prison.

After successfully get Karil to England, and it is a very exciting part of the book not to be missed, he and Tally both assume he will now be a student in Delderton. But that is not to be. Instead, he is taken by his dreaded and dreadful nursemaid the Countess Frederica, nicknamed the Scold by Karil, to the large, but shabby London home of his grandfather, the Duke of Rottingdene. It seems no one has any money in the Prince’s family, including himself, but they still live like they do.

Will the prince ever succeed in being able to attend Delderton and be with the only friends he has ever had?

This was an exciting, adventurous novel, based on real events with the exception of Bergania. Bergania is an imaginary country in the center of Europe, making The Dragonfly Pool a true Ruritanian tale. And although the story is a wonderfully delightful blending of fact and fiction, the characters are quite well rounded and realistic, though I can’t say that about the school or the country of Bergania. Bergania reminded me a bit of Genovia from The Princes Diaries having that same kind of fairytale feeling to it. And of course, Delderton did remind me of Hogwarts without the magic and the internal enemies.

Consequently, this is a book that should be read in the same spirit as Harry Potter. It should really not be missed, especially if you are a fan of Eva Ibbotson. And because it is written by Eva Ibbotson, you know in advance there will be a happy ending, so the joy is in the journey getting there.

This book is recommended for readers ages 8 and up.
This book was borrowed from the 67th Street Branch of the NYPL.

[Katie Fitzgerald · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review also appears on my blog, Read-at-Home Mom.

With World War II about to begin, Tally Hamilton, a doctor’s daughter, leaves her home in London to attend Delderton Hall, a progressive boarding school in the British countryside. While there, she becomes aware of the brave king of a small nation called Bergania, who has refused to give in to Hitler’s demands, and of his young son, Prince Karil. When Tally and some of her classmates are later invited to a folk dancing festival in Bergania, she devises a plan for them to be able to participate so that she might have the chance of experiencing this country firsthand. Unexpected circumstances lead to her actually meeting the prince himself, and when the king is assassinated, Tally finds that she and her friends might be Karil’s only chance to escape from the Nazis and avoid being sent to prison.

This middle grade novel truly offers something for everyone. It is part school story and part adventure, filled with both the daily activities of British schoolchildren and moments of true danger and suspense. The writing is beautifully descriptive, and each of the characters, no matter how minor, has a fully developed personality and backstory that in some way contributes to the larger picture. The adult characters are just as interesting as the kids, and the relationships Tally develops with her teachers are some of my favorites of the entire book. Though Bergania is not a real country, it comes perfectly to life in Ibbotson’s details. I especially enjoyed the significance of The Dragonfly Pool, the secret respite for which the book is named, which is visited by several of the characters in times of emotional distress at various points throughout the book.

Though this not a fantasy novel, I couldn’t help but compare it to the Harry Potter series. The boarding school environment obviously made me think of Hogwarts, and many of the teachers easily matched up with Harry Potter counterparts. The secrecy and urgency surrounding Karil’s escape from Nazi-occupied Bergania remind me of the efforts of Harry’s friends to protect him from Voldemort. Even Karil’s time spent in his grandfather’s house had the same suffocating and desperate feeling as Harry’s summers on Privet Drive. Though The Dragonfly Pool lacks the magical elements of Harry Potter, I still think it is an excellent read-alike for the series, and one that might be overlooked by kids without a bit of a booktalk from an adult.

The Dragonfly Pool is one of my favorites of all the books I’ve read so far this year, and I’m looking forward to reading more from Eva Ibbotson. I also loved the voice of the audiobook narrator, Patricia Conelly, and I would highly recommend listening to this book just to hear the way she reads it. The story is great, but the combination of the great writing and Conelly’s perfect performance make the audiobook an absolute treat.

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tally is a young girl who doesn't want to go off to boarding school at Delterton. But once she arrives, she sees that this boarding school is nothing like she imagined. She makes great friends. Then she meets Karil, the Prince of Bergania (spelling? I listened to this.) She and other children want him to come to their boarding school and he wants to...but many obstacles stand in his way.

It also weaves in a little bit of WWII...but with few of the horrors.

I liked this and would almost give it a 4. But, as a parent and teacher, I was a little bugged by how free the children were at the boarding school (and how the book celebrated that fact.) I don't approve of corporal punishment or anything, but I do think children need rules and structure and the fact that the children could choose whether or not to attend class, how to dress or not, etc. bothered me. Too many kids would not do much of anything in those conditions. It seems that a good school should be somewhere in the middle of Delterton and the other horrible school depicted in this story. Perhaps the fact that this was historical fiction played a role in this...but still it bugged me.

[umrah : castiel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has been one of my most beloved comfort reads since it got on my bookshelf 4 years ago, and it's an emotional, yet pleasing tale. The book is divided into parts, narrated about the two main characters in the first two parts, Tally and Karil. And, it has another part when Tally and Karil meet, and their lives unexpectedly connected, despite the fact that Tally is a girl attending a boarding school with not very good reputation, but turned out to be unusual for Tally, while Karil just happens to be a prince, an heir to the throne of the beautiful Bergania.

[Suzannah Seerden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone should own this book

[Katy Wheatley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this directly after having finished A Song for Summer, also by Ibbotson. There are strong parallels between the texts although this is the more child friendly version. Tally is sent away from London at the outbreak of WWII to a progressive school in Devon where although she doesn't want to go, she finds herself blooming. A strange plot device which I didn't entirely love, sees Tally and her friends attending a folk dancing festival in a tiny European country being besieged by Hitler, and as SS forces mass on the border, they become embroiled in a plot which sees the children risking everything to save the crown prince and get him to safety in England. This is gripping, funny and charming without ever downplaying the brutality of war. It's exactly the sort of book I would have read over and over again as a child and I'm glad I can still thoroughly enjoy it as an adult.

[Daphne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute story, but not my favorite. I really liked the beginning since it was more about the school and everyday life at the school, but my interest waned a little once the plot became more about royalty and saving Karil. There was nothing inherently wrong with those sections of the book, but I wasn't as interested in that plot and missed the earlier sections of the book. So while the writing and pacing of this book were generally good, this definitely isn't my favorite Eva Ibotson book.

[Petra · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars rounded up to 3. Unfortunately I found the characters and the writing quite underwhelming and the plot twists really easy to guess. I loved the boarding school setting but only bits of the story took it place there and that's probably why I found the book a bit of a let down for me. I still want to read more by Ibbotson so if you have recommendations, please let me know!

[QNPoohBear · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tally is content with her life in London attending school with the nuns and living with her loving father and doting aunts. She feels safe there, despite the fact that the Nazis are on the march and war is imminent. In order to keep Tally safe, her father has the opportunity to send her to boarding school in the country. Tally refuses to leave at first and is terrified by her cousin's horror stories of life in boarding school, but she soon discovers that her school, Delderton, is quite different. Delderton is a progressive school where the staff are kind and the children do pretty much whatever they want. Tally soon comes to make new friends and love the school, especially the great cedar tree standing for centuries in the courtyard and hands-on, all-hours biology lessons from the mysterious Matteo.

Tally's dream is to make the world a better place, starting with a folk dance festival held in the little country of Bergania, where the proud and brave king refuses to give in to Hitler's demands. Tally and her classmates enjoy befriending the children of other European nations, while Berganian Prince Karil watches wistfully from his bedroom with a telescope.

Young Karil wishes he were an ordinary boy, free from the rules and restrictions his strict governess places on him. Karil's world changes in an instant and it's up to Tally and the other children to save his life and help him become free.

The plot is entirely unpredictable and I could never figure out where she was going with it. There is an epilogue that provides that "what happens next" for anxious readers who need to know. The book does borrow elements from her adult novel, A Song for Summer but the plot is mostly different and much more innocent.

Tally is a bit of a do-gooder but she's so sweet and innocent, you can't help but love her and want to assist her in saving the world. Karil is a complex character and his story really shows how difficult it is to be a young royal and the troubles of ruling a nation in the 20th century.

I loved Delderton and wish I could have gone to a school like that. The quirky characters who populate the school are lots of fun and the children's stories are developed well. The descriptions of Bergania, probably based on Austria where Ibbotson grew up, are so lovely they make me want to go there immediately! Eva Ibbotson blends historical fact and reimagined history in this compelling story. This is a great read for all ages. The dust jacket of this novel warrants mention for it's beautiful blue tones and shimmery dragonflys. It attracted my eye and drew me in immediately.

[Belann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first Ibbotson book that I have read and I truly enjoyed it. The story has the feel of a well-written classic such as The Secret Garden. Ibbotson was born in 1925, and many of her books are based on her own life as a non-practicing Jewish girl during WWII, so perhaps that is why. This book, in particular, was based on her time at the boarding school Dartington, which is named Delderton Hall in the book. The heroine, Tally, is a kind-hearted girl, who seems totally unaware of how special she is. After arriving, unwillingly at Delderton, she helps the school go to a dance festival in Bergania, where she meets Prince Karil. Karil’s father, the king is assassinated, and Karil is forced to flee with the visiting Delderton group, teaching him about a life he has never known as a lonely prince. Exciting, and heart-warming, this is a perfect middle school favorite.

[Kimberly Fields · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had a hard time getting into this book. I didn't find the characters to be all that engaging, and the story didn't really feel like historical fiction. It was set in England during World War II, with Nazis as the bad guys, but other than that, nothing was really very historical. The story of the prince and his mean relatives was too unbelievable. It really seemed like the author should have written two books-- one about children and their experience during World War II, and one about a prince who is stuck with mean relatives. I think that would have worked better. This book was an easy read, with some fun action, but it's not one I'd pick up to read again. There are better things to spend my time on.

[Julia J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Somehow the right balance between total whimsy and WWII seriousness. All about bravery, friendship, creativity, and showing up for each other as humans. Eva Ibbotson where would I be without your books in my childhood

[Eustacia Tan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once I finished the two YA Ibbotson books that I bought, I decided to move to her children’s fiction – The Dragonfly Pool. Like The Morning Gift, The Dragonfly Pool is set in the WWII era, but unlike The Morning Gift, The Dragonfly Pool focuses on the value of friendship.

The Dragonfly Pool starts with Tally receiving a scholarship to boarding school. This sounds like a nightmare to her, especially after what her stuck-up cousins tell her about their boarding schools, but Delderton proves to be very different. At Delderton, children are given unique lessons and are generally encouraged to take charge of things, which is how a group of students end up in Bergania for a folk festival.

Tally, who wanted to go to Bergania after seeing a film of the king standing up to Hitler, ends up meeting the crown prince, Karil. It looks like the start of a great friendship, until the king is assassinated and the Nazis try to take over.

Since I was reading The Dragonfly Pool after reading Ibbotson’s YA fiction, I was initially worried that I was going to find this simpler than her other two works. But I was totally wrong; The Dragonfly Pool is a beautiful work that emphasises the power of friendship. While Tally and Karin’s friendship is at the heart of the book, the two rely on many other children – not just the students at Delderton, but also children from the festival.

Speaking of Delderton, I thought it was a lovely school, even though I had the same initial reaction to it. It’s pretty different from another progressive boarding school I’ve read about (Enid Blyton’s Whyteleafe), but it’s clear that the students are happy and learning here. The lessons might be unconventional, but the students do learn and the school acts as a wonderful foil to the rigidity of the world that Karil hates.

I also liked the nuance written into this book. It’s pretty easy, especially in a children’s book, to have all Germans be painted as evil Nazis. But Ibbotson take care to include a German contingent in the folk festival and the children make friends with them (until the German children get sent home by the Nazis). As Tally astutely notes, at the festival, they were all just people and friends.

Finally, I also really enjoyed the thrill of this book. Compared to the other two books, this one has a lot more action – there is even an escape from the Nazis!

Overall, I loved The Dragonfly Pool and find it a beautiful and moving work. It’s got a lot of heart in it, which is why it’s perfect not just for children, but for anyone who wants to read a story with well-formed characters and strong friendships.

This review was first posted at Eustea Reads

[Anastasia Tuckness · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really, really, loved this book and I can't entirely explain why. It takes place during WWII; the main character, Tally, has been sent to a boarding school in the British countryside called Delderton. It's no ordinary boarding school, though; the children are allowed to basically set their own curriculum and pursue their interests. One day she sees a newsreel about Bergania and knows in her heart that she will somehow become deeply involved with this country--and she does.

Things I loved:
-Much of the book takes place outside.
-Tally is super caring and believes strongly in justice and that the right will prevail; several of the adult characters share her perseverance and hope against great odds to the very end.
-Ibbotson invented a country called Bergania, which created a lot of suspense about how their government would respond to Hitler.
-Character development--both in terms of interesting-ness of characters and in their actual development of virtues--plays a big role in the book.

I think this book would be enjoyed by most readers of historical fiction and readers who like reading books where characters work hard to do the right thing.

[Molly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was just as joyful and lovely as a remember. I cried when I finished, which I have never done before (and I read this so many times as a child I’m on a second copy due to destruction of the first.) I got emotional because I can see this book as the root of so many interests I still have. Just a delight!

[Tamara York · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solidly enjoyable from start to finish. I love Ibbotson’s writing. It’s a shame she’s not as easily found in the US as the UK. I brought this one back from London. A great middle school book without any mean girls or teen drama. This is an adventure story set at a unique boarding school at the dawn of WWII.

[Talia · Rating 5 out of 5]

“But sometimes she went off on her own into the woods and made things she had not made since she was six years old: little houses of sticks and interlacing leaves which a worm might come and live in if he felt so inclined, or a necklace of scarlet berries which she did not put on but left lying in the grass.”

(Borrowed from Abigail C)

[Alice Kuzzy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recall reading this book when I was a lot younger, and absolutely loved it. I have re-read it now as an adult, and I still love it. This book carries such interesting characters, varied adventures, and a strong heroine. It is at times very predictable and written simplistically, but if you channel your youthful spirit, this will be a fun read.