Skary Childrin and the Carousel of Sorrow [Hardcover]

Katy Towell (Author)

Book Description

Release date: August 23, 2011 | Age Range: 8 and up | Lexile Measure: 680L (What's this?)

Twelve years ago, for 12 days straight, the town of Widowsbury suffered a terrible storm, which tore open a gate through which escaped all sorts of foul, rotten things. Strange things and strange people were no longer welcomed in Widowsbury, for one could never be sure of what secrets waited under the surface . . .

Adelaide Foss, Maggie Borland, and Beatrice Alfred are known by their classmates at Widowsbury's Madame Gertrude's School for Girls as "scary children." Unfairly targeted because of their peculiarities—Adelaide has an uncanny resemblance to a werewolf, Maggie is abnormally strong, and Beatrice claims to be able to see ghosts—the girls spend a good deal of time isolated in the school's inhospitable library facing detention. But when a number of people mysteriously begin to disappear in Widowsbury, the girls work together, along with Steffen Weller, son of the cook at Rudyard School for Boys, to find out who is behind the abductions. Will they be able to save Widowsbury from a 12-year-old curse?

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Towell tucks violent tempests, maggoty slime, hideous transformations, nightmares, sudden terrors and like atmosphere-building elements into a rousingly melodramatic literary debut." —Kirkus Reviews

"If a studio hasn't already snapped up the rights to a feature film, they would be fools not to do it." —Edge

"A splendidly odd little tale." —The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

About the Author

KATY TOWELL is the creator of the Childrin R Skary website. She is also a graphic designer, writer, and illustrator in Los Angeles with dreams of one day being the scary old lady in the house about which all the neighborhood children tell ghost stories. When not doing these things, she collects antiques, strange teas, and carnivorous houseplants, and she plays a little tune on her violin now and again.

Product Details

• Age Range: 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers (August 23, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0375868593
• ISBN-13: 978-0375868597
• Product Dimensions: 6.4 x 1 x 8.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #244,034 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

KATY TOWELL is the creator of the Childrin R Skary website and animated shorts ("The Mockingbird Song," "Ida's Luck," "The Little Girl Who Was Forgotten By Absolutely Everyone (Even The Postman)"). She is also a graphic designer, writer, and illustrator in Los Angeles with dreams of one day being the scary old lady in the house about which all the neighborhood children tell ghost stories.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Spooky, Macabre Fun August 27, 2011

By Carla J. Wollard

Format:Hardcover

Let me just begin by saying that I am not a young adult and I don't have kids but this book is great! I only recently heard about it from an article on Yahoo (or maybe aol). Once I looked up Katy Towell and saw the drawings and animations (which are great fun) I decided to download a sample of the book. I read straight through the sample and had to download to keep going! The story is quirky, spooky, sad, and funny and I found it really engaging. The drawings are totally cool and don't overwhelm the story. I read until 4 a.m. and had to stop only because I couldn't keep my eyes open any longer. It is totally set to be a series and I can't wait to read more! (I also really want a print of her adorable little gorgon with the stone kitty from her website!) I know that I would have totally dug this book at 12 years old and I am no where near that age now - except, perhaps young at heart. A great read.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A great debut! September 1, 2011

By Amber White

Format:Hardcover

In a town where anything new is automatically labeled dangerous, these three girls from Madame Gertrude's School for Girls--Adelaide, Maggie and Beatrice--are the perfect example of why native Widowsburians are so wary of the unfamiliar. Pre-Storm Widowsbury, I imagine, was one of those quaint little towns where everyone knew everyone (and their business), and both people and events had a sort of day-to-day sameness. Even after the Storm, much of that mindset seems to have carried over, so to have these girls--who are new and possess freakish talents--come to town is very unsettling.

Yet despite those qualities, which one might imagine would create an instant bond between the girls, it takes a dangerous outside influence to bring them together. My favorite aspect of the book wasn't necessarily watching the mystery unfold (because thanks to dramatic irony, the reader already has a pretty good idea of what's going on), but rather watching the friendships develop between these girls--and little Steffen, whom I wound up adoring! Factor in their status as outcasts, and now there's an even wider appeal; after all, at some point we've all felt like the underdog, and seeing these kids beat the odds with a whole town against them brings some real satisfaction.

I've followed Katy Towell's work for several years, and even with this shift in style from her other Skary Childrin works (see her website at skary.net), I am still absolutely amazed. She's always been a brilliant artist, and those who know her work already knew she's a great storyteller as well. "Carousel of Sorrow" has proven to be yet another fantastic piece, and I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent. April 22, 2013

By Jesse

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

Katy Towell is a creative original. I heard about this book from her page on Youtube and after I watched her videos, I had to have this book. Its a great way to tie together all of her work so far. The illustrations were all hand drawn by the author and they look great!