Annika has never had a birthday. Instead she celebrates her Found Day, the day a housemaid and a cook to three eccentric Viennese professors found ...
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Oct 15, 2011
Namratha
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Eva Ibbotson weaves an old-fashioned adventure around a young foundling called Annika. Abandoned in a church on the slopes of Mt. Dorfelspitze, the baby is adopted by a pair of friends: Ellie, the cook and Sigrid, the housemaid. They take her back to their owners’ house in Vienna. Annika is a happy, industrious child.....learning to cook Viennese delicacies from Ellie, keeping the house sparkling clean and doing a multitude of odd jobs for the eccentric professors who are the owners of the house
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Jun 12, 2007
Jan
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A wonderfully readable mystery by the incomparable Eva Ibbotson. Annika is an orphan who was abandoned as an infant. She is taken in by two servants who work for a family of eccentric professors. She grows up in a servant’s world, surrounded by love, but she yearns to know more about her birth mother. Annika is recruited to care for the elderly relative of an obnoxious family in the neighborhood who are indifferent to their relative’s well being. Annika befriends the old lady, who tells her
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Jan 25, 2011
Fairlita
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As chilren/Pre-teen book, it's really delightful, although the idea is perhaps not quite original. IMHO, it's like A Little Princess (Frances Hodgson Burnett), the musical/movie Annie from Harold Gray's Little Orphan Annie, with a dose of Enid Blyton-ish adventure/courage story all combined in one book.
Early 20th century Vienna, with its Lipizzaner stallions performance, is described so wonderfully it makes me long to go there. Too bad I didn't know anything about Lipizza/Lipica when I More...
Early 20th century Vienna, with its Lipizzaner stallions performance, is described so wonderfully it makes me long to go there. Too bad I didn't know anything about Lipizza/Lipica when I More...
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Feb 09, 2009
Ruhama
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Annika is an orphan, though she doesn’t feel neglected. She was found by two women who raised her as their own daughter, and did their best to provide everything she would need. But Annika still dreams of her mother showing up unexpectedly to whisk her away to happily ever after. One day, after Annika has made several friends, learned that her gift is cooking and finally realizes that Vienna is a good home, her mother does show up, sweeping into the room and proclaiming she has finally found
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Jan 28, 2009
Sheryl
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Annika has never had a birthday. Instead, she celebrates her Found Day, the day a housemaid and a cook for three eccentric Viennese professors found her and took her home. There, Annika made a happy life in the servants' quarters and surrounded herself with friends, including the elderly woman next door who regaled Annika with stories about her countless admirers-especially the Russian count who gave her the legendary emerald, the Star of Kazan. And yet Annika still dreamed of finding her try mo
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Aug 06, 2011
Amy
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I read this book when I was considerably younger than I am now, but the story is still clear in my mind, which shows either that this book had a well structured plot or I read it so many times it simply stuck in my head. I personally think that The Star of Kazan is a very satisfying book for younger readers. There is an orphan girl named Annika; she is taken in by a cook and a maid who work at a house which is inhabited by three professors that are siblings and she always dreams of her birth mot
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Aug 06, 2011
Ellie
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Eva Ibbotson is one of my favourite authors so I probably end up re-reading one of her books on rotation about once a month. She fled Vienna in the 1930s as a child because her family were non-practising Jews and a lot of her stories are about refugees and finding identity in a new place. They are full of lots of the classic tropes of children’s literature: foundlings, evil guardians, mysterious treasure and last minute rescues, which make them satisfying reads for most ages. What help them stan
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Jun 30, 2009
Treasa
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This is the first children's book I have read by Eva Ibbotson. I really enjoy her adult/ya books, so I was interested to see whether I would like her children's literature as much. I did. This book was different from her books for older readers in some ways, but it still had the same lovely, innocent, sugary-sweet heroine who is very likable despite being so disgustingly good. Annika is a foundling who is taken in by two servants who work in the house of three professors (two brothers and on
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Jan 13, 2012
Michelle
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The Star of Kazan is about two servant maids who found and abandoned baby(a few days old)in a chapel in a mountainous hill in Vienna,Austria.These maids work for three professors Emil,Gertrude,and Julius they all have their abilities like music,art and science.Ellie(one of the servant maids) named the baby girl after her mother,Annika.Twelve years later Annika is old enough to help out Ellie and Sigrid in the kitchen and the house.Annika also has two close friends, Pauline and Stefan.Throughout
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Feb 17, 2011
Ariel
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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May 10, 2010
K.
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Another YA candidate for the "girl's bookshelf."
One drawback. Bits of the story center around "living together" and fake-marriage situations. Nothing at all suggested but the fact.
Wonderful elements. Loved the cooking and the kitchen in general. Loved the scenery, old Vienna (beginning of 1900's I think, but not specified). Great characters, loved them all (except the icky ones, but I was even sorry for Hermann in the end).
The family atmo More...
One drawback. Bits of the story center around "living together" and fake-marriage situations. Nothing at all suggested but the fact.
Wonderful elements. Loved the cooking and the kitchen in general. Loved the scenery, old Vienna (beginning of 1900's I think, but not specified). Great characters, loved them all (except the icky ones, but I was even sorry for Hermann in the end).
The family atmo More...
Nov 28, 2011
lia
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This book reminds me of the way children books were written pre-harry potter. The writing style, the description, the slow progress, the clean cut characters and non presence of magic.
So reading this makes me feel a bit nostalgic.....it makes me remember all those time when i sit huddle up with a pillow in the corner of the local library.
The story start quite slow, it introduce all the characters in the first few pages, the circumstances of how Ellie and Sigrid found Annika (the More...
So reading this makes me feel a bit nostalgic.....it makes me remember all those time when i sit huddle up with a pillow in the corner of the local library.
The story start quite slow, it introduce all the characters in the first few pages, the circumstances of how Ellie and Sigrid found Annika (the More...
May 15, 2009
Tiffany
rated it:
Holy cow can Eva Ibbotson write! The story was so compelling and the plot twists were fantastic. The story had me on edge trying to finish it.
The Star of Kazan is the story of a young orphan girl who was found and adopted by two good-hearted Austrian women. Both women worked for three eccentric professors. Annika, the young girl, grows up learning how to cook and clean and help. She leads a very happy life, all the while wishing that her real mother will come and reclaim her. Annika More...
The Star of Kazan is the story of a young orphan girl who was found and adopted by two good-hearted Austrian women. Both women worked for three eccentric professors. Annika, the young girl, grows up learning how to cook and clean and help. She leads a very happy life, all the while wishing that her real mother will come and reclaim her. Annika More...
Aug 28, 2008
Shaffleoppleplutika Xeliet
rated it:
This is a sweet story. In general I like Eva Ibbotson's books, but honestly, this one really stood out to me. I love how she catches you off guard with details you didn't think mattered. The main character is kind and you can really sympathize to her, and the overall plot is well developed. It's not too hard of a read, and the words flow easily. I really think you should read this book- it's one of my favorites.
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Sep 11, 2010
Hilary
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Annika has been living happily in Vienna with a housemaid, Sigrid, a cook, Ellie and three professors who have raised her since she was found in a church up in the mountains when she was an infant. Although Annika has often dreamed of her mother coming to find her, she is a surprised when a mysterious women comes to claim her. Annika is whisked away to Northern Germany to the dreary Spittal Castle where she tries her best to be happy with her new found mother but continually misses the life she
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Aug 22, 2010
Carrie
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Two maids adopt an abandoned baby and name her Annika. As she grows, she helps take care of three professors and their home. It doesn’t take long before she is adored by all she comes in contact with. When she befriends a lonely elderly lady, Annika’s eyes are open to a mysterious woman who once was full of adventure and life.
***Spoiler Alert ***
When the elderly lady dies, she wills Annika a trunk of worthless treasures. Annika doesn’t discover this gift and the tru More...
***Spoiler Alert ***
When the elderly lady dies, she wills Annika a trunk of worthless treasures. Annika doesn’t discover this gift and the tru More...
Nov 19, 2009
Lisa
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The story of Annika, a young girl who was found as an infant by a sweet cook and housekeeper, who then raise her. Annika is such a likable character, that you can't help but love her at once, and her quirky life in Vienna. The trouble begins when, at 12 years old, her mother comes to claim her, and although she gets her wish of a mother, she leaves all she has ever known and loved for the unknown.
I really loved this story, and although it was somewhat predictable, it felt more that More...
I really loved this story, and although it was somewhat predictable, it felt more that More...
Mar 30, 2010
Stephanie
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Sometimes I felt like this story was wandering, especially at the beginning. Hard to put down, though. And hard to describe--there was humor, but it's not a funny book. There were a lot of strange things happening (and strange characters, some of them), but most of it felt really ordinary. It was predictable, yet I kept wanting to know what would happen next.
The main character, Annika, got a little annoying at times, but for most of the book she's twelve, so I guess that's to be expected More...
The main character, Annika, got a little annoying at times, but for most of the book she's twelve, so I guess that's to be expected More...
Apr 05, 2010
Linda
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This is the kind of Eva Ibbotson book that I love. Annika, who was found in a church in the Austrian mountains as a baby, always dreamed that her mother, who was of course rich and beautiful, would come for her. Being raised in a kindly household by two serving women was not a bad life but still Annika would like to find her real mother. The sunny girl befriends a lonely elderly relative of her snobbish neighbors and the woman regales her with stories of her life on stage and of the Russian coun
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Sep 10, 2010
Mariel
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The Star of Kazan is a sweet little book. It is parts Coraline (without the terror) and part Joan Aiken's Wolves of Willoughby Chase. If that sounds good to you, you will not be disappointed by this book. Eva Ibbotson knew what she was doing when she crafted this everything-you'd-hope-it'd-be-and-more tale. I had a very happy couple of lunch breaks reading it (even my cheese sandwiches tasted better. It's magic!).
I found this in the bargain aisles of a bookshop. "Eva Ibbotson I More...
I found this in the bargain aisles of a bookshop. "Eva Ibbotson I More...
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Oct 24, 2011
Catriona
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I do like Eva Ibbitson's books. Light, fright and easy to read. You feel compelled to keep reading as one becomes caught up in the story. Definitely not a taxing read, just right for a relaxing read. Annika is abandoned as a baby but found and brought up lovingly by a cook and a house maid and their employers, three eccentric professors. She dreams that her mother will one day find her and one day it seems her dream comes true until she realises being found means leaving everything she knows beh
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Jun 28, 2011
Josie
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I feel like I say the same things about every one of Eva Ibbotson's books that I read: it was sweet, charming, gently predictable, and filled with minor characters whom I loved (and in this case, had more life to them than Annika, the heroine). Ibbotson's love for the city of her birth shines through in a lot of her books, and especially so in this one. If I had a time machine, pre-war Vienna would be my first stop. She makes it sound utterly magical.
Unfortunately, Annika doesn't ha More...
Unfortunately, Annika doesn't ha More...
May 22, 2011
Meera
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Imagine taking a hike with your friend. With new boots on (pretend you're foolish enough to do that.) Imagine the newly forming blisters under your feet, your aching ankles, and general discomfort. Struggling to take every step, you see a church. Making a quick excuse to your friend, you hobble into the church, take off your nasty shoes, sigh in relief, and close your eyes, taking in the comforting atmosphere; only to be woken up by sensing the presence of another human among one of the pews. Wh
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Dec 13, 2011
Veronica
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Children's books can sometimes be more satisfying than adult novels, and this is in that category. Based in the Vienna that Ibbotson left as a child, and set mostly in 1908, this is an adventure story about an adopted child, her abrupt change of fortune, some missing jewels and a clever confidence trick. But most of all it is a hymn to Vienna, its streets, its squares, its cuisine, its pastries. If like me you think Vienna is the best city in Europe, you will love being transported there by Eva
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Apr 27, 2011
Anna
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This book made me smile. I saw the whole thing coming a mile away, but the characters were so lovely that I didn't much care. The tricky thing with this book is which children would like it. I think once they're in middle school, most kids wouldn't be that interested. The story is a classic orphan tale, with few sharp edges and no real romance. (Although one knows who the heroine will marry years from now.) My second grade daughter reads very well, but I think the structure of this book is
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Jan 26, 2012
Beth
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A splendid orphan story --- and a good one for reinforcing the idea that we can make our own families. I loved the turn-of-the-century Vienna setting, and there were just the right amount of fairy/folk tale touches. Excellent for 10-13 year old girls, but also for adults who like old-fashioned stories.
Jim Trelease (of the Read-Aloud Handbook) recommended this book to me about 7 years ago. I have chosen it for my 11 year old Book Club this year and I'm anxious to see how the girls More...
Jim Trelease (of the Read-Aloud Handbook) recommended this book to me about 7 years ago. I have chosen it for my 11 year old Book Club this year and I'm anxious to see how the girls More...
Oct 28, 2011
Hina
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In October 2010, we all lost a magnificent author. This book, The Star of Kazan, has made me realise how much of a loss Eva Ibbotson is to the writing world. I have never been more thankful for her books, which will definitely be read over and over again.
Annika is a young foundling who had been abandoned as a baby in a small church, she was raised by two servants of three professors and was taught how to cook, clean and do many household jobs. She lived a very happy life with two of More...
Annika is a young foundling who had been abandoned as a baby in a small church, she was raised by two servants of three professors and was taught how to cook, clean and do many household jobs. She lived a very happy life with two of More...
Dec 12, 2010
Erin
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Great read-aloud potential. Classic Ibbotson - the story is filled with clues for the mind to base predictions on. I spent much of the story trying to puzzle the pieces together...wondering what was true and how the conflict could be resolved. A great book for readers who are learning about inference and predictions. Star of Kazan is rich in themes about friendship, perseverance, and justice. The characters are well developed, and the setting is incredibly well described (perhaps too much a
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Mar 09, 2011
Tasha
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Annika, a foundling brought up by a cook and her house-maid friend, had always dreamt of her mother coming to find her. Annika had always worked in the house of the eccentric Professors in which she had grown up but when her mother actually does turn up, she finds herself living in the large - if somewhat run down - von Tannenberg family estate.
An old lady who Annika befriended in the last days of her life leaves the girl a trunk of imitation jewels but they never arrive. Having made More...
An old lady who Annika befriended in the last days of her life leaves the girl a trunk of imitation jewels but they never arrive. Having made More...
Aug 02, 2010
Suna
rated it:
Eva Ibbotson has a special place in my heart. Most of her books are so endearingly absurd, whilst at the same time dealing with some very pressing issues of childhood.
In Star of Kazan, it's loneliness and belonging.
It is a kind of deviation from her usual, in that it is in many ways a very straightforward mystery story. It's also a lot more gloomy, due to the setting of Edeltraut's home.
The story is very low-key, too, because it isn't much of an action packed advent More...
In Star of Kazan, it's loneliness and belonging.
It is a kind of deviation from her usual, in that it is in many ways a very straightforward mystery story. It's also a lot more gloomy, due to the setting of Edeltraut's home.
The story is very low-key, too, because it isn't much of an action packed advent More...
