Carousel

by Brian Wildsmith

While she is sick in bed, a little girl dreams of riding on her favorite merry-go-round

Genres: Picture Books

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1988

About the author

Brian Wildsmith (1930-2016) was raised in a small mining village in Yorkshire, England, where, he says, "Everything was grey. There wasn't any colour. It was all up to my imagination. I had to draw in my head..."

He won a scholarship to the Slade School of Fine Art where he studied for three years. For a while he taught music at the Royal Military School of Music, but then gave it up so that he could paint full time.

He has deservedly earned a reputation as one of the greatest living children's illustrators. In 1962, he published his first children's book, ABC, for which he was awarded the Kate Greenaway Medal, Britain's equivalent to the Caldecott Medal. He was also a runner up for this medal for The Owl and the Woodpecker.

Wildsmith has said: "I believe that beautiful picture books are vitally important in subconsciously forming a child's visual appreciation, which will bear fruit in later life."

In 1994, the Brian Wildsmith Art Museum was established in Izukogen, a town south of Tokyo, Japan. Almost one and a half million people visited a traveling exhibition of his work in 2005. Eight hundred of his paintings are on loan to the museum.

Brian is married, has four children, and currently lives in the south of France.

— Source

Reviews

[Hilary]

When a little girl becomes ill, her friends bring her pictures and she dreams of a carousel she enjoyed when she was well.

These are really magical pictures, this would have been a favourite read of my daughter who loves a nearby steam galloper from the late 1800s (still working and in everyday use!!!) (carousels turn anticlockwise and gallopers clockwise)

A beautifully illustrated and magical book.

Read on open library.

[Jenni]

This is one of my favourite childhood storybooks! The illustrations are beautiful, and the story is enchanting!

[Peacegal]

Really captures the magic the carousel holds for children.

[Chelsey]

My favorite book from my childhood. We checked this out from the library constantly! The artwork and story are both beautiful. <3

[Janet]

Carousels/merry go rounds are always fun rides and full of imaginative memories. Rosie loved it when the fair came to town each year. She and her friends had joyous fun, but then Rosie fell ill. What will improve Rosie’s health? Friend Tom makes a special purchase at the toy shop, a carousel and Rosie dreams of better times that help her th get well. Carousels are special rides complete with music and many years later I stay have my mechanical carousel!

[Amy]

This is about a sick girl who receives a toy carousel and it helps her recover. The illustrations are great.

[Janna C]

The pictures were my favorite part of the book.