A tale as delicate and buoyant as anything filmed by Alexandra Korda, blending comedy, history and tragedy with an irresistible wit and verve - The Times

Tally’s adventures may from time to time require us to suspend disbelief, but we do so willingly and in appreciation of the sure-footed skill of an author whose novels have the skill and stature of classics in the making - Guardian

Eva always lifts the spirits. She understands how children might be inspired and nourished, and she delights in nature, friendship, honesty and liberty - The Sunday Times

Eva Ibbotson was born in Vienna in 1925 and moved to England with her father when the Nazis came into power. Ibbotson wrote more than twenty books for children and young adults, many of which garnered nominations for major awards for children's literature in the UK, including the Nestlé Smarties Book Prize and the Whitbread Prize. Eva's critically acclaimed Journey to the River Sea won the Smarties Gold Medal in 2001. Set in the Amazon, it was written in honour of her deceased husband Alan, a former naturalist. Imaginative and humorous, Eva's books often convey her love of nature, in particular the Austrian countryside, which is evident in works such as The Star Of Kazan and A Song For Summer. Eva passed away at her home in Newcastle on October 20th 2010. Her final book, One Dog and His Boy, was published in May 2011.