1925 – 2010

Picture from Dutton/Penguin Young Readers Group

Born in Vienna, Austria and educated in England, Eva Ibbotson didn’t begin her writing career until she was 50 years old. Once she began to publish, children became mesmerized by her books. Ibbotson’s books still entertain today’s readers.

In Which Witch? (1979) many, many witches are vying to marry Arriman the Awful, the Wizard of the North.

The Secret of Platform 13 (1994) introduced readers to a magical kingdom of mermaids, ogres, feys, and mistmakers that could be entered under an abandoned railway platform in London. These humorous, magical books were only one of the genres in which she wrote. This prolific writer also created more sophisticated books for the young adult audience.