Barbara Sleigh (1906-1982) worked for the BBC Children's Hour and is the author of Carbonel and two sequels: The Kingdom of Carbonel and Carbonel and Calidor. »

Carbonel & Calidor

By Barbara Sleigh
Illustrations by Charles Front

"There are many kinds of magic...and once magic is in your blood it attracts more magic," says the royal cat in Carboel at the start of Carbonel and Calidor. Sure enough, Carbonel's human friends Rosemary and John soon encounter magic in the form of a ring set with a fiery red stone that grants wishes to whoever wears it. And it's a lucky thing, too, because Carbonel needs Rosemary and John's help. It seems that his son Calidor has rejected his princely status for the love of a streetwise cat named Wellingtonia (also known as Dumpsie). Even worse, Calidor has apprenticed himself to the witch-in-training Mrs. Dibdin. With all this going on, it's just a matter of time before Carbonel's old nemesis Grisana—accompanied by her slyboots daughter Melissa—hatches a plan to take control of Carbonel's kingdom once and for all.

This third and final volume of the Carbonel series is as full of enchantment and adventure as its predecessors, Carbonel and The Kingdom of Carbonel. Read individually, or in sequence, Barbara Sleigh's fantastic and fantastical trilogy casts an unforgettable spell.

Reviews

There is a Nesbit quality about Miss Sleigh’s writing as there is in her manipulation of magic...
— Junior Bookshelf

A delightfully amusing story.
— Parents Magazine

We do like good fantasy, and it is hard to find. Here is some magic sturdily rooted in everyday happenings with both the real children and their enchanted acquaintances well characterized and sharing in some very convincing experiences.
— New York Herald Tribune

A truly bewitching story reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland.
— New York Journal American

Magic and everyday life blend smoothly in this highly enjoyable fantasy, perfect for reading aloud.
— Terri Schmitz, Horn Book

The magic is potent in The Kingdom of Carbonel...The children have some very worthwhile experiences including trips in an airborne rocking chair (very bumpy), an accident with an invisibility spell and the challenge of Mrs. Cantrip's Miniscule Magic powder.
— The New York Times

Also see:

Carbonel By Barbara Sleigh Illustrations by V. H. Drummond Appearances can be deceiving. Some old ladies are witches, some brooms can fly, and some ordinary-looking cats are Princes of the Royal Blood.

The Kingdom of Carbonel By Barbara Sleigh Illustrations by Richard Kennedy It's good cats versus bad in a thrilling battle for the future of the enchanted land of Cat Country. "The children are lively, the grown-ups (including the witch) colorful and the mingling of magic and reality is most effective." —The New York Times

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