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Magic Night
Magic Nights is the story of a cat who finds something that does not belong in his people's house—something flittery and skittery that turns the rest of the night mysterious and magical. What could it want? Hurricane the cat is going to find out!
40 pages, Hardcover
First published August 28, 2006
35 people want to read
About the author
Isobelle Carmody
104 books1,734 followersIsobelle 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).
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).
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
September 7, 2009
Fantasy for the junior crowd.
Hurricane is a lovely white cat who arrives home to discover a Wrong Thing disturbing the order of the house. The pumpkin grows a face, the dolls come alive, even the fish grow arms and legs. What is Hurricane to do?
This story is really driven by the wonderfully imaginative illustrations by Declan Lee, while Isobelle Carmody's text simply guides the story.
Hurricane is a lovely white cat who arrives home to discover a Wrong Thing disturbing the order of the house. The pumpkin grows a face, the dolls come alive, even the fish grow arms and legs. What is Hurricane to do?
This story is really driven by the wonderfully imaginative illustrations by Declan Lee, while Isobelle Carmody's text simply guides the story.
July 19, 2010
I've always believed that cats can see things we can't. This unusual story is about a cat who senses something magical happening in his house. It's really not much of a story, but the pictures are interesting--lots going on in little details as the entire house seems to come to life. The ending is a bit of a surprise too. Nice, but not as good as I'd hoped.
October 30, 2020
I read this aloud to a Year 3-4 class. It is in the sophisticated picture book section of our Primary School Library. I have told this class that these might be picture books, but they are not appropriate for young children.
It is Halloween Disco tonight, so I suggested that this book was scary. It turns out not to be scary, but rather it was weird. Having said that they enjoyed it, and therefore it gets 4 stars.
It is Halloween Disco tonight, so I suggested that this book was scary. It turns out not to be scary, but rather it was weird. Having said that they enjoyed it, and therefore it gets 4 stars.
November 18, 2017
Cat meets something strange and helps it go back to its family.
May 10, 2013
Firstly, I can't believe the title was changed for the overseas market. I hate it when they do that!
Here, on my bookshelf, this is called the Wrong Thing. Perfect name for a perfect picture book.
And this is the perfect picture book. It took me a long time to be able to read this to my kids without crying. It's just beautifully written and illustrated, and so completely and utterly lovely.
My sons are too old for picture books now, but as a writer myself, and a lover of magic, I will always keep this book. It's my favourite.
Here, on my bookshelf, this is called the Wrong Thing. Perfect name for a perfect picture book.
And this is the perfect picture book. It took me a long time to be able to read this to my kids without crying. It's just beautifully written and illustrated, and so completely and utterly lovely.
My sons are too old for picture books now, but as a writer myself, and a lover of magic, I will always keep this book. It's my favourite.
May 4, 2012
Title The Wrong Thing in Australia. I love picture books about cats. Not sure why. This one is odd. Hurricane, an all white cat, comes into the house in the middle of the night, and something else comes in with him. Something that doesn't belong in the house, or even really in this world. The illustratios are almost surreal in their detail, but I don't know that he fully nails the cat- very hard to do indeed.
February 8, 2016
In this sparsely worded story, a cat chases this "thing" through the house at night. The "thing" leaves magical chaos in its wake as the cat tries to figure out what exactly it is.
Enchanting illustrations.
Enchanting illustrations.
September 15, 2008
oooh... a cat named hurricane. this book is pretty wonderful.
April 22, 2012
Very cut story
May 13, 2012
Cute children book!
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January 2, 2017My local library is running a program called 1000 Books Before Kindergarten. My son is 5 and in his last year of pre-school. My son loves cats so when I saw that the library bundled a bunch of cat books together I picked it up. This book was in that bundle.
My son found the book to scary and spooky and he doesn't want me to read it to him again.
My son found the book to scary and spooky and he doesn't want me to read it to him again.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews