The Carousel

by Ursula Dubosarsky, Walter Di Qual (Illustrator)

One winter's day my dad and I
Went down to see the carousel.
We stood and watched as round and round
The little horses rose and fell.

So begins the magical journey
of a small girl and a wooden horse.

A journey of music and mirrors,
of green hills and sunlit skies,
of wishes and freedom.

From this much-loved author and
brilliant new illustrator comes a
glowing, timeless picture book that
celebrates the enduring wonder
of the carousel.

36 pages, Hardcover

First published October 31, 2011

About the author

Ursula Dubosarsky is an award-winning author of numerous books for children and young adults. About The Golden Day, her first book with Candlewick Press, she says, "The little girls watch, wonder, respond, change, and grow — and then their childhood is gone, forever. This element of the story, I suppose, is at least partly autobiographical. But, as I say — all of our teachers come home safe and sound in the end." Ursula Dubosarsky lives in Australia.

Reviews

[Eugenia (Genie In A Book) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful and enthralling, The Carousel transported me straight back into my childhood to the times when my mum used to read to me before bed-time.

What this stunning picture book has managed to create is a cleverly rhymed story that is sure to appeal to children (Hey - I even couldn't help becoming pulled into the story myself). The illustrations are captivating and amazing, and a perfect accompaniment to such a simple yet effective journey of a girl riding the carousel and setting the horses free.

*VERDICT*

'The Carousel' by Ursula Dubosarsky is a book that will be treasured for years to come, and I'm looking forward to reading it to children of my own one day.

-------------------------------

I received this book through the Goodreads First-Reads program in exchange for an honest review

[Karen Li · Rating 3 out of 5]

My first thought was, this is a heavy picture book. Yes, both in weight as well as in thought. It was beautifully illustrated and can be interpreted at many different levels. Would be a great gift for little ones 10-13, or a good waiting room book.

[Sean Harding · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written in poetic language and equally beautifully illustrated book make this a wonderful read, almost dream like, a great book to be read to children, enjoyed by bothe the child and the adult reading it.

[Amy Huynh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won a free copy of this book from a Goodreads giveaway.
-
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

The Carousel is a beautiful picture book that tells the magical journey of a little girl, wooden horse, and a carousel.

Ursula Duboarsky has been able to perfectly capture the essence of a carousel in a breathtaking way. I was definitely able to feel how the little girl did - awed by the glowing spectacle and atmosphere. It brought me back to my childhood memory of when I would gaze at the beauty of the carousel that was in the middle of the city, longingly wanting to experience just one ride.

Walter Di Qual's illustrations are simply beautiful, and I think he has definitely brough his own spark to this book. The art is bright, vivid, yet mixed in with 'pretty', so that it will obviously appeal to children. However, being a teenager, I found that the illustrations created a more nostalgic feeling for me that will definitely work in favour for those older than children. I actually enjoyed the aching nostalgia that allowed me to briefly connect with my childhood.

The Carousel is written in rhyme, which I thought was smart and clever. Something I found that that may be a problem is that the rhythm is a tad awkward. Additionally, some of the words don't rhyme.

Eg.
"[...] hills
[...] air
[...] snow
[...] clear"

This is an issue that didn't affect my reading of the book, however it might ruin the flow for younger children when they are reading it as they may possibly only be familiar with the basic "abab" rhyming structure.

Well done to Dubosarsky and Di Qual for creating such an enchanting little tale! I will definitely recommend The Carousel to young children, especially girls. Hopefully I'll have this book with me the next time I see my nieces!

[Kyla Corrigan · Rating 5 out of 5]

One winter's day my dad and I
Went down to see the carousel.
We stood and watched as round and round
The little horses rose and fell.

So begins the journey of a small girl and a wooden horse.....

This is a magnificently presented children's book. I read it to my 3 year old and she was absolutely enthralled by both the story and the illustrations. The illustrations are magnificent and eye catching for adults and children alike. The storyline is an extremely well written poem that engages the child's imagination from start to finish. Before reading this book I had never heard of the author, but after reading this, I will most definitely be seeking out other children's books by this author.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book as a First Reads giveaway.
This is a beautiful book!
The story is written in verse which echoes the movement of the carousel horses going up and down, and round and round. Perfect for reading aloud to small children to inspire a love of literature.
The artwork is simply gorgeous and enhances the magical dreamlike quality of the text, making it an ideal choice for a bedtime story.
I shall enjoy sharing this book with my grandchildren.

[Lyn Battersby · Rating 1 out of 5]

Lyn is a judge for the Aurealis Awards. This review is the personal opinion of Lyn herself, and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of any judging panel, the judging coordinator or the Aurealis Awards management team.

I will be reviewing and rating this once the AAs are announced.