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Isobelle Carmody’s award winning series, The Kingdom of the Lost Book 2: The Cloud Road …“This is a gorgeous little hardcover book aimed at younger readers, complete with pen and ink drawings scattered throughout…This story will engage children at the right stage to read independently; many children given this novel will continue to reread and treasure it.”…-Nalini Haynes Read full review by Nalini Haynes on Dark Matter Fanzine – SF...

  Isobelle Carmody’s award winning series, The Kingdom of the Lost Book 1: The Red Wind …”Accompanying the story are charming illustrations full of atmosphere and expression. They are drawn by the author herself– further fruit of Carmody’s talented creativity“...-Megan Burke Read full review by Megan Burke …”The Red Wind is an enchanting, whimsical story which will stay in the reader’s imagination long after they finish the book. I picked...

Rachel Towns attended one of  Isobelle Carmody’s talks . She was thrilled to meet her in person and inspired by her talk. “… ideas came from: taking little bits from real life and connecting them all together…“–Rachel Towns and read full review by Rachel Towns

Spring 1997 Jack’s mother has recently died in circumstances which has left the whole family traumatised, particularly her husband. Ellen, Jack’s younger sister, is in the best condition: she is able to talk about her mother’s death, she recognises her father’s pain, and she knows how to help Jack. Every character in the book pays a price for Jack’s mother’s death, even Jack’s friend Mario, who does not know how...

November 1997 Using symbol and fantasy to explore the inner world of young characters is always a risky business. lf the symbols are too obvious, their potential richness can be overcome by the aridity of allegory in which each symbol has one and only one reference. lsobelle Carmody lessens the risks and allows the symbolism its full richness by using a double narrative: one set in the ‘real’ world, and...

November 1997 This is a fascinating, unusual and complex book that takes readers on an extraordinary psychological joumey as two children struggle to make sense oftheirmother’s death andtheir father’s despair. It is quite beautifully written, with the intricate weaving of many threads using symbols and motifs from traditional literature, old world beliefs, some post modem explorations of reality and literature and metafictive qualities of stories within stories, which enables it...

October 1997 SOME YEARS AGO I was asked in an interview if I had any particular ambition, and I remember answering that I would like to write a classic fantasy for ten to twelve year olds: the sort of book I loved reading as a child, but somehow brought forward to a contemporary Australian setting. ‘Well, why don’t you?’ said the interviewer. If only it were that easy! There’s no...