It’s just such a classy, solid story and such lovely stuff. The chapters are self-contained and deeply satisfying in their own right and although a more modern audience might be unfamiliar with some of the vocabulary of the time, it’s written so tightly that the reader just rolls along with it. She’s clearly familiar with what it takes to write a story but also, I think, in what it takes to read a story. There’s something very classic and confident about this, Sleigh’s debut. Give me a slightly stroppy partner in crime who will do anything for their friend and I’m there. There’s also something very particular about a slightly sarcastic and curmudgeonly magical chum. There’s something very particularly British (and very particularly mid-twentieth century British) about magic being found on your doorstep. What I liked, however, was how immediate and everyday this magic was. The spell must be broken by Rosemary who, in trying to find extra money to bring home to her impoverished mother, finds herself embroiled in mysterious and magical goings on. I like the way that libraries do that sometimes they give you the things that you did not quite mean to get and yet knew you always wanted.Ĭarbonel is a cat and he is under a spell. Carbonel has been on my radar for some time and so when I spotted it, I grabbed. I had prepared for this day with a visit to the library, picking things that I thought might be in my wheelhouse and things that I had been meaning to read for some while and yet never got around to it. When it is a hot day, we turn to the shadows and we read the books. Between the cat and the broomstick, Rosemary picked up some useful spells and magic, and the adventures they brought about turned a dull-looking holiday into one long to be remembered for its unexpected excitements and rewards.Ĭarbonel's adventures continue in The Kingdom of Carbonel.Carbonel: The King of the Cats by Barbara Sleigh Rating details 4. Drummond (1911-2000) was a British author and illustrator whose books included Phewtus the Squirrel and Mrs. A good cat is apt to be independent, so she did not have things all her own way, and as Carbonel proved to be a Royal cat in a very special sense, that was understandable. Barbara Sleigh (1906-1982) worked for the BBC Childrens Hour and is the author of Carbonel and two sequels: The Kingdom of Carbonel and Carbonel and Calidor.
Of course, neither the cat nor the broomstick were just what they seemed, and they turned up just when Rosemary badly needed something nice to happen to her. She bought them both in the market, quite cheaply. This is the story of a cat, a broomstick and an ordinary schoolgirl called Rosemary. Leonard published by Max Parrish (STOCK CODE: 626524) for sale by Stella & Roses.
Magic and everyday life blend smoothly in this highly enjoyable fantasy, perfect for reading aloud - The Horn Book THE KINGDOM OF CARBONEL written by Barbara Sleigh illustrated by D.M.
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