Carbonel (A Puffin Book)

Product Information

I mean, they wouldn't remember why they were friends, or how Rosemary met her stepfather, and all sorts of other life-changing events. Rosemary and John are proud to be entrusted with Carbonel's royal kittens while he is away from his kingdom, but it is a task that leads them into all sorts of unexpected and exciting magical adventures. Rosemary may have never travelled in a chauffeur-driven car, but neither had John ever been trusted to prepare himself a simple meal before. This is a light, quick read for an adult, and an enjoyable one for a child, and a truly delightful book. The balance works well; the fantasy parts about wishing magic, summoning spells, and rainbow magic blending smoothly into everyday life.

I suppose that we owe the Harry Potter books a debt of gratitude for making children's fantasy so popular once again that there has been a new market for modern reprints of the books of the 1950s. Both are magic, of course, and Rosemary learns that she can talk to animals while holding on to the broom (which can also fly). I first read this many years ago and recently re-purchased at the ripe old age of 51, for the sheer pleasure of re-reading one of my all time favourite books.It started a bit more slowly than the previous 2, but once it got going a fun, occasionally hilarious and at times touching book for children and lovers of cats, magic and English childrens fiction in general. Carbonel is a children's book series by Barbara Sleigh, first published by Puffin Books from 1955 to 1978.

Nesbit came back into print; Edward Eager began his novels that started with Half Magic; Mary Norton had her series of Borrowers books; and C. Perhaps it is one which could be rectified in the two sequels, “The Kingdom of Carbonel” and “Carbonel and Calidor”, but somehow I doubt it.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.

Quite the opposite of Elizabeth Goudge in The Little White Horse: Collector's Edition where everything gets described in mouthwatering detail. The characters were all well developed and believable - well - as believable as owning a magic broom and a talking cat can be - and for being written in 1955 it is not nearly as dated as it might be. Cantrip, is a witch who has decided to retire, and that is why she is willing to part with her magic cat. Enslaved to her petty treacheries great and small until he is freed at long last by the fulfillment of a prophecy.I first fell in love with this book as a child, read it successfully to a succession of classes and finally introduced it to my daughter who loves it just as much as me.