The abominables

Award-winning Eva Ibbotson’s charming fantasy about the rescue of an entertaining family group of Yeti and their transportation from the Himalayan Mountains to England in a frozen food lorry is touching, tender and very funny. It also carries a strong message about the need for humans to leave nature alone and especially to protect the survival of all kinds of endangered species – real and imaginary! The manuscript of The Abominables was discovered among Eva Ibbotson's papers by her son after her death aged 85 in 2010. It's an early novel written well over 10 years ago that was never submitted for publication. However, it contains all the trademark qualities that made Eva's subsequent books including Journey to the River Sea and One Dog and his Boy so successful; comedy, loveable and eccentric characters, perfectly-crafted plotting, and inspiring themes of tolerance, kindness to animals, and the defeat of cruelty. Sharon Rentta, who drew the superb dog characters for One Dog and his Boy has illustrated it. It's a wonderful story and a classic in the making.