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Charlie and the Grandmothers
When fearful twelve-year-old Charlie and his bolder younger sister are sent to visit a grandmother they never knew they had, they discover a dark secret.
A visit to Grandmother's house has never been so scary…
Twelve-year-old Charlie Ougght knows something is fishy when he and his little sister Georgie are sent away to spend time with a grandmother they've never met. Grandmother Pearl and her sister Grandmother Opal seem harmless enough, but Charlie soon uncovers a dastardly plot-the grandmothers are acting as minions for an ancient queen desperate to rule the world. Can Charlie and Georgie find a way to save themselves and the other children held captive in the Queen's lair before it's too late?
A visit to Grandmother's house has never been so scary…
Twelve-year-old Charlie Ougght knows something is fishy when he and his little sister Georgie are sent away to spend time with a grandmother they've never met. Grandmother Pearl and her sister Grandmother Opal seem harmless enough, but Charlie soon uncovers a dastardly plot-the grandmothers are acting as minions for an ancient queen desperate to rule the world. Can Charlie and Georgie find a way to save themselves and the other children held captive in the Queen's lair before it's too late?
240 pages, Hardcover
First published August 4, 2015
22 people are currently reading
434 people want to read
About the author
Katy Towell
4 books219 followersKATY TOWELL is the creator of the Childrin R Skary website. She is also a graphic designer, writer, and illustrator in Portland with dreams of one day being the scary old lady in the house about which all the neighborhood children tell ghost stories.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
March 9, 2016
That was a downhill tumble from the book I just finished last week. It was so boring, I couldn't even make it the rest of the way so I just skimmed. Love the cover but the book just didn't do it for me.
July 30, 2015
Charlie is worried. Ever since his father died a few years ago, he constantly worries about everything. Will he fall asleep in his soup and drown? Will his toes freeze off if he forgets to wear his socks? But Charlie's sister Georgie loves an adventure, and unlike her brother doesn't think about the consequences.
So when Grandmother Pearl invites them to visit, Georgie thinks it will be an exciting adventure. However, Charlie knows that they don't have a Grandmother Pearl, that both their mother and father's parents are long dead. But mother seems to be in a stupor and Charlie can't snap her out of it. With mother needing medical care, the children have no choice left but to go, and they head to granny's.
And discover that everything Charlie worries about is nothing compared to what awaits him at grandmother's house.
If your kids liked Gaiman's CORALINE, then CHARLIE AND THE GRANDMOTHERS is for you. It has the same atmospheric creepiness and quirky details. We follow Charlie on his adventure as he discovers what the grandmothers are really up to. But it isn't necessarily the setting, clean prose, or easy to follow plot--while all equally awesome--that makes this book shine.
The main character Charlie is always afraid, and it paralyses him. But when he discovers that his love for his mother and sister are more powerful than his fears, he becomes willing to do what he has to in order to save them. Watching Charlie grow into his confidence is what makes this a good story. The loss of his father changed Charlie, but he learns that this experience shouldn't stop him from living his own life.
Sure it's a story with a moral, but your kids won't notice. They'll have too much fun enjoying the scary adventure.
Recommended Age: 10+, dark themes may be disturbing for some children
Language: None
Violence: Peril
Sex: None
**Find this and other reviews at Elitistbookreviews.com***
So when Grandmother Pearl invites them to visit, Georgie thinks it will be an exciting adventure. However, Charlie knows that they don't have a Grandmother Pearl, that both their mother and father's parents are long dead. But mother seems to be in a stupor and Charlie can't snap her out of it. With mother needing medical care, the children have no choice left but to go, and they head to granny's.
And discover that everything Charlie worries about is nothing compared to what awaits him at grandmother's house.
If your kids liked Gaiman's CORALINE, then CHARLIE AND THE GRANDMOTHERS is for you. It has the same atmospheric creepiness and quirky details. We follow Charlie on his adventure as he discovers what the grandmothers are really up to. But it isn't necessarily the setting, clean prose, or easy to follow plot--while all equally awesome--that makes this book shine.
The main character Charlie is always afraid, and it paralyses him. But when he discovers that his love for his mother and sister are more powerful than his fears, he becomes willing to do what he has to in order to save them. Watching Charlie grow into his confidence is what makes this a good story. The loss of his father changed Charlie, but he learns that this experience shouldn't stop him from living his own life.
Sure it's a story with a moral, but your kids won't notice. They'll have too much fun enjoying the scary adventure.
Recommended Age: 10+, dark themes may be disturbing for some children
Language: None
Violence: Peril
Sex: None
**Find this and other reviews at Elitistbookreviews.com***
September 8, 2022
خیلی جالب بود ولی فصل بدترین خاطره جا داشت که بهتر باشه
September 9, 2015
3.5 STARS
The story was so interesting with so many children being kidnapped by their “grandmother”. The grandmothers’ world was also really creepy and full of imagination. I loved how the main character, Charlie, started off as a child scared of everything that he couldn’t enjoy his childhood and ended up being brave to save his sister. I could really feel the conflict he constantly had between avoiding his life from danger and saving all the kidnapped children. His character develpoment was what made the story really interesting.
What I would like for the book to upgrade the writing so it would be more interesting for a young adult but still understandable for children. I know that the book was focusing on the younger reader but I felt like it used a very simple language. Another thing to add are the illustration, I love what the book had offered, but I just want to see more scene to be illustrated.
Overall, I loved how the “Burton”-ish vibe this book offered. It was a very fast read yet so fun and enjoyable. Though it’s a children’s book, you should consider the scariness and creepiness before giving it to your children.
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“… but when adventure comes calling, how can an adventurer say no?”
The story was so interesting with so many children being kidnapped by their “grandmother”. The grandmothers’ world was also really creepy and full of imagination. I loved how the main character, Charlie, started off as a child scared of everything that he couldn’t enjoy his childhood and ended up being brave to save his sister. I could really feel the conflict he constantly had between avoiding his life from danger and saving all the kidnapped children. His character develpoment was what made the story really interesting.
What I would like for the book to upgrade the writing so it would be more interesting for a young adult but still understandable for children. I know that the book was focusing on the younger reader but I felt like it used a very simple language. Another thing to add are the illustration, I love what the book had offered, but I just want to see more scene to be illustrated.
Overall, I loved how the “Burton”-ish vibe this book offered. It was a very fast read yet so fun and enjoyable. Though it’s a children’s book, you should consider the scariness and creepiness before giving it to your children.
READ MORE REVIEWS HERE
April 3, 2016
I half expected Charlie and the Grandmothers to be bad or for it to be a DNF based off of the reviews here on Goodreads.
What I found was a marvelous tale of fear, loss, and bravery. Katy Towell is quite the storyteller. She reminds me of Neil Gaiman. There is something so distinctly odd, mysterious, and creepy about this book that I just love.
I don't think it is too frightening for children either. It's not any more frightening than Coraline and I think a healthy dose of fear does children well. How can you overcome fear if you do not know it? After all, there's nothing really to fear, but fear itself.
Would definitely recommend and will keep my eye out of anything Ms. Towell writes.
What I found was a marvelous tale of fear, loss, and bravery. Katy Towell is quite the storyteller. She reminds me of Neil Gaiman. There is something so distinctly odd, mysterious, and creepy about this book that I just love.
I don't think it is too frightening for children either. It's not any more frightening than Coraline and I think a healthy dose of fear does children well. How can you overcome fear if you do not know it? After all, there's nothing really to fear, but fear itself.
Would definitely recommend and will keep my eye out of anything Ms. Towell writes.
November 16, 2018
I liked how this book made it so that you wanted to find out what happens next.
August 10, 2025
3 stars
Charlie is paranoid—just like me. But hey, being paranoid does have its merits.
It was an okay horror read. Am I the only one who found the lore a bit unclear? It felt more complex than it actually was, and my adult brain just couldn’t process it all. The writing style also felt a bit dated.
The beginning was good, but then it kind of went downhill. Overall, it could’ve been better—left me a little confused.
Charlie is paranoid—just like me. But hey, being paranoid does have its merits.
It was an okay horror read. Am I the only one who found the lore a bit unclear? It felt more complex than it actually was, and my adult brain just couldn’t process it all. The writing style also felt a bit dated.
The beginning was good, but then it kind of went downhill. Overall, it could’ve been better—left me a little confused.
October 23, 2023
When my son was about 11 he wanted something “scary” to read and I found him this. He liked it. I finally read it and can see how it would be a fun adventure for a kid with a bit of a spooky edge.
November 9, 2015
Charlie is scared of everything. He worries constantly about the most random things. He worries because his sister Georgie has no fear. She is always looking for adventure. He is most worried because the kids in his area seem to be going missing and no one notices. They all go off to visit their grandmothers and don't ever return. Then his mom announces he and Georgie are going to go visit their grandmother. This definitely worries Charlie since he knows both of his grandmothers are dead; he remembers going to their funerals. That doesn't stop mom from sending them on the visit though.
Grandma Pearl and Grandma Opal are nothing like what you would expect from a grandmother. They can't cook. Their house is strange and seems to move and change on its own. They have a cat who seems to control them. And they always want Charlie and Georgie to sleep. Of course, Charlie isn't going to sleep. Things are too strange for that. When Charlie finally figures out what is truly going on he has to overcome his fear and fight for himself and his sister.
This was a really creepy book, even for a kids book. Grandmothers are not suppose to be creepy and evil, but these definitely are. Despite the creep-factor, there is a really good message here for kids. Not all your fears are irrational, but you have to overcome them in order to live your life to the fullest. I liked the contrast between fearful Charlie and adventures Georgie. I'm not sure the big bad evil queen's motivations work completely, but it works well enough. I would definitely recommend it.
Grandma Pearl and Grandma Opal are nothing like what you would expect from a grandmother. They can't cook. Their house is strange and seems to move and change on its own. They have a cat who seems to control them. And they always want Charlie and Georgie to sleep. Of course, Charlie isn't going to sleep. Things are too strange for that. When Charlie finally figures out what is truly going on he has to overcome his fear and fight for himself and his sister.
This was a really creepy book, even for a kids book. Grandmothers are not suppose to be creepy and evil, but these definitely are. Despite the creep-factor, there is a really good message here for kids. Not all your fears are irrational, but you have to overcome them in order to live your life to the fullest. I liked the contrast between fearful Charlie and adventures Georgie. I'm not sure the big bad evil queen's motivations work completely, but it works well enough. I would definitely recommend it.
November 16, 2017
Charlie is afraid of everything. "He worried about flooding on a cloudless day. He worried about wildfires when the rain wouldn't stop. He worried about things that went bump in the night and worried equally about things that didn't." He hadn't slept in the 6 years that his dad died, worried something bad would happen to more people he loved. His sister, Georgie, on the other hand is quite the adventurer. After children from their town start disappearing after they go on trips to visit their grandmothers, Charlie get suspicious. Where are they all going? He doesn't have anything to worry about though because he no longer has grandmothers. Or does he?
After a sickness grips his mother, Georgie and Charlie are sent away to visit with Grandmother Pearl and Grandmother Opal, neither of which they knew existed. Charlie's fear is strong and that's what ultimately keeps him safe. Georgie forgets about life before arriving at the farm which gets her into trouble.
SPOILERS AHEAD!
It turns out that the grandmothers are not who they seem. They are actually henchmen for the wicked Queen of Fear. All seems lost until Charlie realizes that his fear has been preparing him for this for the past 6 years. In order to defeat the Queen, he has to face his biggest fear - remembering the good times with his father. After realizing that he needs to focus on what he has and not take it for granted, Charlie, Georgie, and all of the kids that had been captured before them are returned to their homes.
...
I had high hopes for this book but I had such a hard time getting into it. I really like the premise because it reminds me a lot of a book that I've been writing for... 9 years. Sometimes it seemed like important moments were just glossed over and other times I got wicked bored but kept trudging through.
The illustrations are fantastic though. The author is also the illustrator, and she does a great job. Her design style for the book is eerie and creepy and I love it.
Overall, I liked this book although based on what my kids at school have said, it's hit or miss with the younger crowd too.
After a sickness grips his mother, Georgie and Charlie are sent away to visit with Grandmother Pearl and Grandmother Opal, neither of which they knew existed. Charlie's fear is strong and that's what ultimately keeps him safe. Georgie forgets about life before arriving at the farm which gets her into trouble.
SPOILERS AHEAD!
It turns out that the grandmothers are not who they seem. They are actually henchmen for the wicked Queen of Fear. All seems lost until Charlie realizes that his fear has been preparing him for this for the past 6 years. In order to defeat the Queen, he has to face his biggest fear - remembering the good times with his father. After realizing that he needs to focus on what he has and not take it for granted, Charlie, Georgie, and all of the kids that had been captured before them are returned to their homes.
...
I had high hopes for this book but I had such a hard time getting into it. I really like the premise because it reminds me a lot of a book that I've been writing for... 9 years. Sometimes it seemed like important moments were just glossed over and other times I got wicked bored but kept trudging through.
The illustrations are fantastic though. The author is also the illustrator, and she does a great job. Her design style for the book is eerie and creepy and I love it.
Overall, I liked this book although based on what my kids at school have said, it's hit or miss with the younger crowd too.
March 14, 2018
3.5 stars
Charlie and the Grandmothers was a quick, exciting, fun, and sometimes terrifying read that I wholly enjoyed, but there were a couple of things lacking in it that makes it difficult for me to press that 4 stars up there instead of the 3 I chose.
I loved Charlie and his sister, Georgie, as the main protagonists: Charlie is a boy who's pretty much afraid of everything and worried for everyone, so much so that his legitimate concerns are often downplayed and ignored by everyone else. At first I thought this was just a personality trait to set him apart from the usual protagonists of a story, but it actually comes into play at a certain point. I'm not too surprised by this revelation, but I'm half-wishing it wasn't an integral plot device so that we can see how an MC becomes a hero in his story when he's too afraid to step outside. His sister is his opposite, and probably represents 80% of the world's main characters, but not too much that she becomes just an annoying sidekick, which I appreciated immensely.
To accompany this creepy book are several illustrations which I adored, and did anyone else notice how there's always a small key in almost every drawing? Is that the illustrator's thing, or is it just because of the story? Either way, they match the vibe of this book perfectly.
One thing I wished had been fleshed out more was the setting, both time and place: I know there are trains and coaches and alarm clocks, but no electricity..? So this kind of puts it in a wide berth of years I'd have to guess at. Charlie's home is equally nondescript: the illustrations (as far as their clothing) are as vague as the timeline, and all I could guess was that it's either in Europe or America...?? Someone help me there. I can understand the Grandmothers' house being in the middle of nowhere ala Courage the Cowardly Dog, but I could have at least SOME idea where and when Charlie and his family lived.
Charlie and the Grandmothers was a quick, exciting, fun, and sometimes terrifying read that I wholly enjoyed, but there were a couple of things lacking in it that makes it difficult for me to press that 4 stars up there instead of the 3 I chose.
I loved Charlie and his sister, Georgie, as the main protagonists: Charlie is a boy who's pretty much afraid of everything and worried for everyone, so much so that his legitimate concerns are often downplayed and ignored by everyone else. At first I thought this was just a personality trait to set him apart from the usual protagonists of a story, but it actually comes into play at a certain point. I'm not too surprised by this revelation, but I'm half-wishing it wasn't an integral plot device so that we can see how an MC becomes a hero in his story when he's too afraid to step outside. His sister is his opposite, and probably represents 80% of the world's main characters, but not too much that she becomes just an annoying sidekick, which I appreciated immensely.
To accompany this creepy book are several illustrations which I adored, and did anyone else notice how there's always a small key in almost every drawing? Is that the illustrator's thing, or is it just because of the story? Either way, they match the vibe of this book perfectly.
One thing I wished had been fleshed out more was the setting, both time and place: I know there are trains and coaches and alarm clocks, but no electricity..? So this kind of puts it in a wide berth of years I'd have to guess at. Charlie's home is equally nondescript: the illustrations (as far as their clothing) are as vague as the timeline, and all I could guess was that it's either in Europe or America...?? Someone help me there. I can understand the Grandmothers' house being in the middle of nowhere ala Courage the Cowardly Dog, but I could have at least SOME idea where and when Charlie and his family lived.
December 19, 2017
The premise of this book is immensely intriguing– a boy notices all the children on his street never return after visits to their grandmother's, and then he himself is invited to stay with his grandmother after his mother falls ill. The only catch is: Charlie doesn't have any grandmothers.
The beginning is creepy and uncanny and seemingly wrong– a mysterious sleeping sickness, old crones who speak in riddles, and a house that is intent on not letting the children outside. Very Tim Burton/Neil Gaiman/Coraline-y, and excellent.
Unfortunately, the story begins to fall flat around the middle. In fact, about half way through, it's like reading a completely different book. Too much in the story was completely unexplained for a stand-alone novel. A lot of scenes from the second half were drawn out, unnecessary, or just plan boring.
Moving to character– while I enjoyed Charlie as a MC, he felt one dimensional, as did all the others. They all have one personality trait, and became an embodiment of solely that one trait. Charlie= scared. Georgie= Adventurous. Grandmothers = evil.
Also
Overall –and despite my negativity– I enjoyed this book for what it was: a creepy bedtime story to scare the pants off little children. It was fun, scary, creativity, and the illustrations really added a little extra something.
The beginning is creepy and uncanny and seemingly wrong– a mysterious sleeping sickness, old crones who speak in riddles, and a house that is intent on not letting the children outside. Very Tim Burton/Neil Gaiman/Coraline-y, and excellent.
Unfortunately, the story begins to fall flat around the middle. In fact, about half way through, it's like reading a completely different book. Too much in the story was completely unexplained for a stand-alone novel. A lot of scenes from the second half were drawn out, unnecessary, or just plan boring.
Moving to character– while I enjoyed Charlie as a MC, he felt one dimensional, as did all the others. They all have one personality trait, and became an embodiment of solely that one trait. Charlie= scared. Georgie= Adventurous. Grandmothers = evil.
Also
Overall –and despite my negativity– I enjoyed this book for what it was: a creepy bedtime story to scare the pants off little children. It was fun, scary, creativity, and the illustrations really added a little extra something.
May 8, 2017
i thought this book had so much potential, but i just never saw it realized... the Queen was awesome, incredibly so, but the book wasn't Charlie and the Queen, was it? the Grandmothers, though involved throughout, were never main players in the tale... the idea of grandmothers stealing children was superb, but the reason behind it never got much traction... the 'world' of the kidnapped kids was kinda thin and ultimately not al that skary ;) but the Queen!!! and the drawings were amazing too, and really helped visualize the characters... all in all, a fun book, but not as detailed as i had hoped...
December 4, 2020
Beautifully written and delightfully creative. Masterful construction of a tense atmosphere and that mysterious tone. I enjoyed the sharp delineation of the characterizations, Charlie as the “troubled worrier” and Georgie as the “intrepid adventurer” as it made for some fun contrasts which Towell takes full advantage of, e.g., Georgie dialogue: “I’ve seen a lot in my time, you know. I’ve been to every corner of our block.” I also found that this sharpness of character in the protagonists, which helped us forecast their character arcs, made the book feel less uncertain, because we *really* cannot predict the true nature and visage of the grandmothers. Yikes! Loved this one.
May 26, 2019
The suspense and scary tone paired with a 12-year-old boy as the lead would be a draw-in for young male readers; however, the supporting role of the main character’s sister appeals to girls as well. Great use of strong vocabulary and the author wastes no time in her telling of the story. Underlying meaning addresses the significance of your thought life and the danger of hiding behind fear from hurt, pain, sorrow, etc. Ended with a meaningful confrontation with the impact of loss and the freedom found in facing the emotions buried deep inside.
June 28, 2020
This book was quite sweet. I enjoyed reading it, even if there were a couple of pages here and there where my attention waned. I think the author struggled to keep up the great momentum established at the beginning of the novel. I don't think that would be a problem for younger readers, and still this was a very enjoyable read for an adult! The imagery is fantastic! I really liked the mysterious cat-and-mouse chapters with the grandmothers when the kids first arrived, and the ominous old woman in the town. Not too scary at all overall, but there are some scenes that might creep out children under 12, like the bed bugs and phantoms.
January 12, 2022
This book was fun to read even though it didn’t grip me as much in the beginning. I like the concept of the story, the characters and of course the friendships that was introduced here.
This is a story about Charlie and Georgie, two siblings who were sent to live with their grandmothers that they didn’t know. So they went and the nightmares begun. Weird things happening. There are phantoms, the queen (what kind of queen? You need to read it to found out), the grandmothers… hmmmn…
I truly enjoy reading Charlie and Georgie’s adventure through this story :) It spooky but not scary!
This is a story about Charlie and Georgie, two siblings who were sent to live with their grandmothers that they didn’t know. So they went and the nightmares begun. Weird things happening. There are phantoms, the queen (what kind of queen? You need to read it to found out), the grandmothers… hmmmn…
I truly enjoy reading Charlie and Georgie’s adventure through this story :) It spooky but not scary!
August 7, 2017
juvenile horror- if such a genre exists. Maybe because I'm not a fan of horror but some of the ideas seemed a little chaotic and didn't really make comprehensive sense to me... but maybe that is horror- just a bunch of scary ideas thrown together.... I think it would def scare the pants of the juvenile reader looking for a frightening read.
November 6, 2020
I was excited to try this book, but it ended up being very disappointing for me. I just did not like the story at all, and it just hold together for me. I found the whole explanation of who these people were pointless and just didn't really like the characters.
July 27, 2022
The main idea of this book is very interesting but is a bit creepy, and it might be a bit too scary for children of a certain age. I enjoyed it, but I will say again that it is a bit creepy. It can be used as an example of how one can discover the hero or heroine within oneself.
September 26, 2022
I really liked the cover of this book and the illustrations were brilliantly spooky! Poor Charlie is afraid of everything; But his hyperawareness pays off. Without giving spoilers- I wasn't very fond of the ending. I still gave it 5 stars because I enjoyed it over all. Give it a try!
November 27, 2025
Un libro muy lindo que nos habla de enfrentar nuestros miedos y al mismo tiempo nos motiva a no dejar de soñar y valorar a nuestros seres queridos.
Las ilustraciones son preciosas y tenebrosas al puro estilo de Katy Towell.
Amé el libro.
Las ilustraciones son preciosas y tenebrosas al puro estilo de Katy Towell.
Amé el libro.
January 31, 2019
Clever and creepy.
March 3, 2019
Really strong first half, a la Coraline, that turned generic and the writing quality fell apart a bit. Never terrible, but no longer great.
November 1, 2020
It turns out that Charlie is much braver than he thinks he is when he faces his greatest fears and saves himself and his sister from the evil grandmothers.
August 23, 2025
This was a good book
August 4, 2024
I read this while waiting in a parking lot for a concert. This is a slightly quick read for older readers and not really scary in the end.
I grew up watching Towell’s animations on YouTube and was always fascinated by them. While I personally do not think this is terrifying, I do believe younger readers getting into novels would find this creepy. I do think that the plot is almost a bit too rushed with how much is happening.
Readers would also enjoy the simple character arc that Charlie goes through during the novel and root for him in the end.
I grew up watching Towell’s animations on YouTube and was always fascinated by them. While I personally do not think this is terrifying, I do believe younger readers getting into novels would find this creepy. I do think that the plot is almost a bit too rushed with how much is happening.
Readers would also enjoy the simple character arc that Charlie goes through during the novel and root for him in the end.
February 3, 2018
Ms. Katy Towell has done it again! With her second book, she scares, creeps, and weirds out the reader with odd and spooky Grandmothers and a unique, supernatural world.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews