posted on 28 Nov 2024

The Search for Carmella by Chloe Savage

Back in December 2022, I had the pleasure of reviewing Chloe Savage’s first book for children entitled, The Search for the Giant Arctic Jellyfish and the author went on to do an exclusive interview for us. Now she’s back with another stunningly illustrated tale of science in the deep seas with The Search for Carmella.

Stories of giant creatures that rise from the depths of the sea to menace the unsuspecting mariner are legion and even have a magnetic fascination for scientists – not least because these myths have often been found to hold more than a grain of truth about them and there are plenty of new discoveries to be made. In this story Dr. Rose ‘a marine biologist and an explorer’ is fascinated by the story of Carmella:

“An ancient monster, who guards the Fountain of Youth with its great tentacles.”

When, one day, she decides it might be worth mounting an expedition to see if there is any truth behind the myth of Carmella, she has no difficulty in bringing together a team of scientists who want to help with the quest.

The plan is to take down a small submersible into the depths just to try and get a photograph of the creature to prove that there is something behind the myth. They travel out into the open seas and start their descent – and it’s like nothing they’ve seen before.

Initially there is just great wastes of water with very little in it and then all the weird denizens of the deep water start to appear. As exotic and interesting as they are, the team get no sighting of Carmella. But just as we discovered with the Giant Artic Jellyfish, you as the reader might just discover that the giant tentacled creature is very good at playing hide-and-seek with the explorers.

Children will be delighted by the game that Carmella plays with the scientists and the scientists really don’t mind that they’ve not found their creature because there is so much more to be discovered.

The book is beautifully produced in a slim large format and the artwork is based on deep water blues, inky blacks with slashes of phosphorescent white. And then there’s the beautiful cerise of the illusive Carmella…

Available now from Walker Books, you will be able to get a copy from your local independent bookshop – who will be happy to order you a copy if they don’t have it on their shelves.

 

Terry Potter

November 2024