Five-Second Review: The Great Ghost Rescue, Eva Ibbotson

[bookblather]

Eva Ibbotson's books weren't a huge part of my childhood, but they definitely shaped the way that I see the world. I've pretty much loved everything I've read that she's written, with occasional caveats (some of her adult books have endings that made me go "bwah?"), which is interesting, because I think if any other author had written them, I would have hated them.

She writes in a highly idealized world, one where children can change the world and dedicated people can do some good. Her protagonists are always good-natured and sweet people, with strong senses of morality. All the good characters love them. Most of them are incredibly forgiving. They're the best kind of people, the ones you always hope to be friends with, the ones in your heart of hearts you suspect don't actually exist. In the hands of any other author, they'd be too good to be true. Eva Ibbotson makes me believe that they do exist, somewhere, and that I can be one of them.

So, with that in mind.

Dear Ms. Ibbotson:

Thank you for writing The Great Ghost Rescue.

Thank you for writing all of your books, actually. But The Great Ghost Rescue is the one I've read most recently. It's a quick, fun, and above all happy read, and I love that I can go to any of your books and know I will close it feeling good. I love that you can make idealism seem real and candy-coated worlds where everyone is happy seem possible. I love that you can make childhood seem fun again. I love that you can write books like this.

Thank you for writing. You will be sorely missed.

Rest in peace at your ghost sanctuary;
me.