Carol Carrick (1935–2013)

Young Lucy Bliss had heard all sorts of terrible stories about Simon, the "simple" (developmentally disabled) son of the local miller, who didn't attend school, but sometimes hung around the younger children. Like all of the young folk of West Tisbury, located on Martha's Vineyard, she tried to avoid the older boy, distrustful and afraid. Then one winter day, in the middle of a snowstorm, Simon followed Lucy and her little brother Josiah home from school. Terrified, Lucy took a shortcut show more through the woods, and soon she and Josiah were hopelessly lost. Then Simon appeared again...

For a brief, sixty-three-page chapter-book, Stay Away from Simon! packs quite a punch, with moments of excitement, fear and pathos. An examination of prejudice and fear, it explores how the developmentally disabled were perceived in previous eras - the setting seems to be 19th century - and makes an argument for tolerance, compassion and inclusion. Although Lucy's feelings are treated with sympathy by the narrative - she doesn't know any better, and is simply following the cues of her peers - it is Simon's likely feelings, at being excluded and misunderstood, that brought a lump to my throat, as I read the story. The ending is heartwarming, without being overdone - Lucy and Simon haven't become best friend, but a new understanding has been reached. The accompanying pencil artwork from Donald Carrick, who illustrated many of his wife Carol Carrick's books, is just beautiful - expressive and full of detail. Recommended to beginning chapter-book readers, and to anyone seeking children's books promoting a better understanding of the developmentally disabled in our communities. show less

Visiting the zoo one day with his older brother Hank, the imaginative Patrick begins to see dinosaurs all around him as Hank describes various prehistoric creatures that far outweighed the modern-day animals they are looking at. On their bus-ride home, and even when they get into their apartment, Patrick continues to imagine dinosaurs all around. It is only when Hank assures him that these ancient giants when extinct millions of years before, that Patrick can relax...

A classic story about a show more young boy who enjoys frightening himself with his imaginings, Patrick's Dinosaurs taps into the childhood fascination with the amazing creatures of the prehistoric world, while also exploring the role that make-believe has in the lives of the young. As someone who, as a girl, would play games of make-believe in all sorts of unlikely places and situations - imagining myself into the past while walking in the woods, daydreaming that I was part of a great parade while walking on the city street, pretending I was a mermaid while swimming - I could identify fully with Patrick's preoccupation. The story from author Carol Carrick is engaging, and the accompanying artwork from Donald Carrick (the two are husband and wife) is slightly dated but still appealing. Recommended to all young day-dreamers and dinosaur lovers. show less

Trick-or-treating one Halloween night with his friends, David allows himself to be pressured into playing a trick on his elderly neighbor, Mrs. Oliver, whom the local children have dubbed "Old Mother Witch." Sneaking up onto her porch, he stumbles over something in the dark, and discovers that real life can be more frightening than story creatures like monsters and witches. It turns out that Mrs. Oliver has had a heart attack, and lying helpless on her porch, needs David's aid...

Old Mother show more Witch is the second book I have read from author Carol Carrick, following upon her retelling of Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp, and the sixth from illustrator Donald Carrick. It pairs an immensely poignant but understated tale of intergenerational mistrust and fear with strikingly expressive artwork that captures both the shadowy menace of Halloween night, and the warmth of David's home. The initial story idea - a grouchy old woman is named a witch by the neighborhood children - reminded me of Stephanie Morgan's The Witch Down the Street, a picture-book that is part of the Tales from the Care Bears series. The Carricks' story however, has deeper emotional currents, sensitively exploring the way in which the very young sometimes fear the very old, whom they do not understand, as well as the role peer pressure plays in encouraging unkind behavior. Finally, through David's actions in helping Mrs. Oliver, and later, his remorse for his conduct, it offers the hope of friendship and a better understanding between the generations. I found this an immensely poignant and lovely book, appreciating both story and illustration, and I will look for more from both of the Carricks. Recommended to anyone looking for children's stories that encourage a more thoughtful and kindhearted approach to how we treat the elderly, even when they appear grouchy or aloof. show less

Still mourning the loss of his dog Bodger, who was struck and killed by a pickup truck in The Accident, Christopher resists his parents' well-meaning attempts to get him a new puppy in this fourth picture-book devoted to his adventures. When his father takes him to the animal shelter, he refuses to take home the puppy he meets. Then he discovers that the puppy he had been playing with each day, that he'd thought belonged to the next-door neighbors, was actually a stray, and that changed show more everything...

I appreciated the sensitivity shown by author Carol Carrick in The Foundling, and the sympathetic way in which Christopher's anger, and his refusal to let a new animal companion into his life, are depicted in the story. I also appreciated the way in which Christopher questions himself, wondering if he is being unkind to his parents, and realizing at one point that his father is also missing Bodger. Too often, in children's stories, the emphasis is on the child's emotions, to the detriment of all else. When I look back on my own childhood, and recall times that I was either angry or hurt, I can remember also thinking about the emotions of others, and about my own behavior, so it was good to see a children's story that reflects a more complex vision of the inner lives of young people. The accompanying artwork from Donald Carrick is lovely, if a little dated in some aspects - clothing, vehicles, and so on. Recommended to anyone who enjoyed previous stories about Christopher, and to anyone who appreciates vintage picture-books. show less