Dreamwalker

by Isobelle Carmody, Steven Woolman (Illustrator)

Book by Carmody, Isobelle

Genres: Fantasy, Picture Books, Young Adult, Comics, Childrens, Graphic Novels

48 pages, Hardcover

First published August 8, 2000

About the author

Isobelle Carmody began the first novel of her highly acclaimed Obernewtyn Chronicles while she was still in high school. The series has established her at the forefront of fantasy writing in Australia.

In addition to her young-adult novels, such as the Obernewtyn Chronicles and Alyzon Whitestarr, Isobelle's published works include several middle-grade fantasies. Her still-unfinished Gateway Trilogy has been favorably compared to The Wizard of Oz and the Chronicles of Narnia. The Little Fur quartet is an eco-fantasy starring a half-elf, half-troll heroine and is fully illustrated by the author herself.

Isobelle's most recent picture book, Magic Night, is a collaboration with illustrator Declan Lee. Originally published in Australia as The Wrong Thing, the book features an ordinary housecat who stumbles upon something otherworldly. Across all her writing, Isobelle shows a talent for balancing the mundane and the fantastic.

Isobelle was the guest of honor at the 2007 Australian National Science Fiction Convention. She has received numerous honors for her writing, including multiple Aurealis Awards and Children's Book Council of Australia Awards.

She currently divides her time between her home on the Great Ocean Road in Australia and her travels abroad with her partner and daughter.

Librarian's note: Penguin Australia is publishing the Obernewtyn Chronicles in six books, and The Stone Key is book five. In the United States and Canada this series is published by Random House in eight books; this Penguin Australia book is split into two parts and published as Wavesong (Book Five) and The Stone Key (Book Six).

Reviews

[Quinn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Isobelle Carmody is such a story teller. Loved this story (simple as it may be) and the illustrations done by Woolman are astounding - there's so much detail in his drawings.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Steve Woolman's illustrations are fantastic. This reads like a graphic novel but is in picture book format. Great Carmody fantasy with Woolman's pictures, and CATS.

RIP Steve.

[is mee... kissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

loved the pictures.

[Sorcha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book could have been much longer, like a full graphic novel but it seems like it got shortened intentionally. If the story hadn't been so rushed, then the wonderful illustrations and beautiful story would have earned it 5 stars. I hadn't got enough time to immerse myself properly within the world that withheld so much potential. If this review is too confusing to you, then consider reading this spoiler-
This book is about a boy who had a dream about an evil cat-sorceress who ruled her world with malice and cruelty. When he woke up he drew the sorceress, then later he drew a girl he had met with the same features. After he goes to sleep, he enters the world of the evil sorceress and there had been so many lush descriptions but ended with him transporting back into his own world. COWARD. He told the girl, Alyssa about the dream and together they made an ending for it.

[Cassie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Don't bother. Too much effort, no reward. Walls of text.

[Megan Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this and loved the concept. The art was also fantastic and complemented the written word so well that the story felt very full and fleshed out.
The only thing I will say is that I wished I had a few more paragraphs to fully explain what happened at the end, but overall this was a really great little graphic novel.

[SBC · Rating 3 out of 5]

After reading this, I didn't find the art work a good match for the story.

Based on the artwork, I thought the story would be quite creepy, but it was simply a lovely story about a boy meeting a girl he likes and their fantasy world (which was nice and actually a real place).

I really liked it the story. Not so much the artwork.

[bin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit long for a picture book, but very interesting and the illustrations are just gorgeous.

[Jeannie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting and unusual, and beautifully illustrated. Another win for Isobelle!