Isobelle Carmody Review: Night School

Isobelle Carmody Review: Isobelle Carmody is a well known children and young adults author, and has written many award winning books.


Night School is Isobelle Carmody's new picture book for older readers. It's certainly not something I would read to younger children, as they may have trouble getting to sleep that night, I imagine. Night School can be pretty scary at times.


The story centres on a group of children who spend the night in a deserted school. The school is very old and has a menacing appearance, like something from an Edgar Allen Poe story. By the way, the illustrations, by Anne Spudvillas, are fabulously spooky, and done in what looks to be a mixture of watercolour and inks.


The pictures evoke an eerie, misty sense of unease.


That night the children go on an adventure in the big old school. They climb layers of stairs to the upper floors, where shadows reign. Each child has the task of writing their name on the wall of three rooms. The only light source available is a candle that casts long shadows on the walls.


While completing their tasks, the school reveals a secret that the children do not expect...


Like I said, the story can be a little scary...