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Carbonel #2
The Kingdom of Carbonel
Night falls and Cat Country comes to town walls turn into roads, roof and treetop become mountain and field. The black cat Carbonel and his consort, Queen Blandamour, have long reigned over this magical place, where humans are scarce, cats roam freely, and the rivers flow with cream. But the wicked Grisana, a beautiful gray Persian who makes Lady Macbeth look like a lap cat, has plans of her own for Cat Country, and Carbonel and his children, Prince Calidor and Princess Pergamond, are all that stand between her and the throne. With the backing of Carbonel’s old foe, the witch Mrs. Cantrip, and her apprentice, Miss Dibdin, Grisana may be unstoppable.
Luckily, Carbonel can count on Rosemary and John, his young friends from The King of the Cats , to come to his aid. Together with the good creatures of Cat Country—and with the help of a few magical spells—the children confront Grisana and her nasty crew. It is a battle for the future of Cat Country and only the strongest magic will prevail.
Luckily, Carbonel can count on Rosemary and John, his young friends from The King of the Cats , to come to his aid. Together with the good creatures of Cat Country—and with the help of a few magical spells—the children confront Grisana and her nasty crew. It is a battle for the future of Cat Country and only the strongest magic will prevail.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1961
About the author
Barbara Sleigh
27 books24 followersBarbara Grace de Riemer Sleigh (1906-1982) was an English children's writer and broadcaster. She worked for the BBC Children's Hour and is the author of Carbonel and two sequels: The Kingdom of Carbonel and Carbonel and Calidor.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
February 11, 2011
This is the second book in the delightful series about magical cats and children. It's even better than the first one, as -- unusually -- Sleigh gathers confidence and settles into the characters with gusto. The children are growing up a little, too, and the author is very good at tracking the subtle differences and shifts in attitude as they grow. A classic series in a splendid edition by the New York Review of Books. I want (almost) every single book in the Children's Collection!
July 6, 2009
I am so glad this trilogy has been re-issued. A lovely story involving cats and witches and invisibility and nefarious plots against the King. What I never noticed ages ago is that the side plots are just as delightful as the main. The chemist is a dear, and the pets in the shop are hilarious. I'm glad to have revisited this, and am looking forward to Carbonel and Calidor, which I don't remember at all.
November 19, 2010
Total fantasy without seeming to be very out of the ordinary, this book is as enjoyable as an adult as it was when I was a child. Perfect if you like cats, magic and happy endings.
August 9, 2011
I couldn't believe my luck when I learned there was a sequel to 'Carbonel'! And I wasn't disappointed!
November 11, 2009
Almost as good as the first book in the trilogy, Carbonel The King of Cats. This one had slightly more action, though it took a while to get started. And many more loveable cats. Though, sadly, not as many loveable human characters (there are still some though). I love how she does different regionalisms for different characters, but there was less of that in this book.
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October 13, 2010gorgeous stuff. Read the #NYRBClassics edition. Everything they publish, I covet.
Shelved as 'queued'
April 17, 2024When Carbonel is summoned to the presence of the Great Cat, he leaves his two kittens in the care of his young friends, Rosemary and John. But with trouble brewing in Cat Kingdom, the task of looking after the mischievous royal kittens is not as easy as it seems and before long the children find themselves mixed up in all sorts of unexpected magical adventures!ISBN 9780241321683
cover illustration by Nicholas John Frith
December 7, 2020
A flawless magical dreamworld for a kid reader. And plenty of grown-ups too.
April 10, 2012
This is the second volume in the middle grade-level Carbonel series. I last read it was a library copy about 15 years ago.[return][return]A year after setting Carbonel free from a witch's spell, teenagers Rosemary and John reunite to spend the summer together. To their delight, King Carbonel returns. After going to a pharmacist for a special prescription, the two drink an elixir and can hear Carbonel again--and all the other animals and insects around. Carbonel has a special request. He must leave for a meeting of kings, and he's concerned about the well-being of his two young kittens. Rosemary and John agree to tend them, but soon enough trouble merges. Carbonel's old witch is up to mischief again, this time plotting with the ambitious cat-queen of a neighboring city. The two children must do everything they can to save the kittens and keep Cat Country from falling into outright war.[return][return]This book is as charming as I remembered. It's so delightfully British, full of eccentric characters with magic revealing itself in unexpected ways. I'm so grateful that these books were finally reprinted! Mind you, it does feel dated in some ways (this second book was published in 1960) but that's all part of its charm.
January 1, 2018
This sequel to Carbonel The King of the Cats follows the same pattern with several shifts to keep the story crisp. The action occurs one year after the events of the previous novel. Rosemary and her mother have been living in an apartment owned by the actor Mr. Featherstone. John visits at the end of the school year. Rosemary and John drink a red mixture this time to become "hearing humans," allowing them to understand what all animals are saying in addition to Carbonel.
Mrs. Cantrip reappears as a mischief-making witch, this time determined to disrupt the status quo in the kingdoms of cats.
Mrs. Cantrip reappears as a mischief-making witch, this time determined to disrupt the status quo in the kingdoms of cats.
June 9, 2012
I absolutely loved the Carbonel books when I was a child. I used to check them out and read them every year. In fact as an adult I asked that if they ever offered the books in their annual sale to save them for me. Alas they did and I obtained them in the 1980's. I have reread them several times again and love them just as much now as I did the first time I read them. My favorite children's book series of all time.
July 27, 2021
I barely remembered this storyline from the last time I read it (probably 10 or more years ago), but I loved this book. Just like the first book, it's a beautifully cheesy story, the ending may or may not have brought some tears into my eyes.
January 2, 2013
GREAT SERIES FOR PARENTS TO READ TO KIDS.
January 4, 2013
Love this series.
March 14, 2014
Good conclusion to the story about kids, magic, and cats.
May 11, 2021
I think I actually liked this even more than the first one. Rather affecting!
December 24, 2015
As delightful as when I read it as a child. A wonderful introduction to the world of magic.
December 8, 2019
Fab book,loved it as a kid and re-Reading to my kids - a fab kids adventures -
April 22, 2021
Enjoyable kids lit, with magic. Really good if you like cats.
January 23, 2022
Just as full of excitement and action as #1, and a happy surprise twist of the kind I like practically the most, but not to spoil things ...
October 11, 2021
I liked this sequel just as much as the first book! What a fun, witchy read! I wish that I had known about this series when I was a child, or even when my children were growing up. It's such an engaging story with characters that are likable, totally believable and not at all ordinary. The book was very hard to put down and I found myself constantly wanting to pick it back up. Rosemary, John, Carbonel (and his family), as well as Mrs. Cantrip are such a treat. Perfect ending, too! I highly recommend this book! Especially for the Halloween season and to read with kids or on your own.
May 19, 2018
This book continued the story of Carbonel, but not because there was more story left to tell. It was very slow-moving, and really struggled to keep my daughter's attention (even though she loved the first book). The pictures were more sparse, and the content dry. It was quite a disappointment and I doubt we'll ever make it to the 3rd book in the series now.
December 5, 2022
3.5 stars
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August 18, 20231971 edition
February 27, 2024
Felt ill read a childhood fav
October 8, 2011
A classic children’s fantasy written in 1960, this book is the sequel to Carbonel which I read and loved as a child. Carbonel is a cat, but not just any cat. He’s the King of the Cats. In the first book, he has been imprisoned by a witch but with the help of Rosemary and her friend John, manages to escape and resume his rightful place ruling the rooftops of the city. In this book, he comes to Rosemary and John for help – he wants them to guard his kittens for him while he’s away. A charming domestic fantasy.
January 11, 2012
A nice, heart-warming sequel to Carbonel: King of Cats, whose faults by nature you just want to skip over for the wonderful, classic childrens adventure that it is. A lovely book, and quite rare to find something so jolly. I'd recommend it to anyone for a nice quick read, though the edition I picked up was just over 300 pages, and not the 240 on the Goodreads site :)
November 22, 2012
This is the second book in a series and I have lovely editions from the NYRB for a gift to give this Christmas.
Lovely cats, a touch or two of magic, lots of adventures and two nice children make for a great read.
In this second book, Carbonel's kingdom is threatened by the greedy queen in the neighbouring kingdom and Rosemary and John once again do what they can to save the day.
Lovely cats, a touch or two of magic, lots of adventures and two nice children make for a great read.
In this second book, Carbonel's kingdom is threatened by the greedy queen in the neighbouring kingdom and Rosemary and John once again do what they can to save the day.
June 25, 2016
This was an equally enjoyable sequel, and fairly amusing how the children and mischievous witch seem to end up helping each other even as they are on opposite sides in the plot. The greater exploration of the cat world in this book was my favorite part, and how it overlaps, and yet is very distinct from the human world.
September 22, 2012
I still like the interplay between John and Rosemary. She, in particular is a finely drawn character. The plot doesn't work quite as well as for the first book but its entertaining. She has a couple of good baddies.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews