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Carousel
Choose your horse.
Hold on tight.
The music's starting
and you're on your way.
Hold on tight.
The music's starting
and you're on your way.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 1982
38 people want to read
About the author
Donald Crews
49 books49 followersDonald Crews (born August 30, 1938) is an American illustrator and writer of children's picture books. In 2015, the American Library Association (ALA) honored him with the Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal, recognizing his lasting contribution to children's literature. Common subjects of his include modern technology (especially travel vehicles), and childhood memories. His stories often include few humans.
Two of his works were runners-up, or Caldecott Honor Books, for the ALA's annual award for picture book illustration, the Caldecott Medal.
Donald Crews was born in Newark, New Jersey, in 1938. He had an older brother, Asa who became Beth Israel Hospital's first African-American intern, and two sisters. His mother worked as a seamstress, and his father worked at the railroad, and several other odd jobs. For the summers he would travel down to rural Florida to stay with his grandmother, who he called "Bigmama". The difference between the big city and the farm caused him to create two, massively different types of art later on in his life.
From a young age, his talent for drawing was encouraged by his family and his teachers. When he got into high school, one of his teachers became a mentor to him, and personally made sure that he got into art school.
He graduated from Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art in New York City, and married another graduate, graphic artist Ann Jonas.
Crews was drafted into the army in 1963, and sent to Frankfurt, Germany. Their first daughter, Nina was born in Germany, and their second was born a year later in New York. Nina is also an award-winning children's book author.
While in Germany, he worked on several pieces for his portfolio, including the book We Read: A to Z (1967). After several suggestions from friends, he submitted it, and it was published by Harper & Row (now HarperCollins). The book relied on abstract ideas, rather than the clichés that were usually associated with ABC books. One classic example is the entry for the letter C: "Cc, corner: where the yellow is" is illustrated with a yellow square in the far corner of a red page in the book.
He created several other books over the next few years, but it was 1978's Freight Train that won him a Caldecott Honor and the respect of other artists in the field. He won another Caldecott Honor the next year for Truck. Several other transportation themed books followed, such as School Bus (1984), Flying (1986), and Sail Away (1995). His memories from his summers in Florida first appeared in Bigmama's and later in Shortcut. These stories are vastly different from his previous works, in that they focus on humans, and tell a more linear story.
Crews and his wife currently live in the state of New York in an old, restored farmhouse overlooking the Hudson River and the Catskill Mountains.
Two of his works were runners-up, or Caldecott Honor Books, for the ALA's annual award for picture book illustration, the Caldecott Medal.
Donald Crews was born in Newark, New Jersey, in 1938. He had an older brother, Asa who became Beth Israel Hospital's first African-American intern, and two sisters. His mother worked as a seamstress, and his father worked at the railroad, and several other odd jobs. For the summers he would travel down to rural Florida to stay with his grandmother, who he called "Bigmama". The difference between the big city and the farm caused him to create two, massively different types of art later on in his life.
From a young age, his talent for drawing was encouraged by his family and his teachers. When he got into high school, one of his teachers became a mentor to him, and personally made sure that he got into art school.
He graduated from Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art in New York City, and married another graduate, graphic artist Ann Jonas.
Crews was drafted into the army in 1963, and sent to Frankfurt, Germany. Their first daughter, Nina was born in Germany, and their second was born a year later in New York. Nina is also an award-winning children's book author.
While in Germany, he worked on several pieces for his portfolio, including the book We Read: A to Z (1967). After several suggestions from friends, he submitted it, and it was published by Harper & Row (now HarperCollins). The book relied on abstract ideas, rather than the clichés that were usually associated with ABC books. One classic example is the entry for the letter C: "Cc, corner: where the yellow is" is illustrated with a yellow square in the far corner of a red page in the book.
He created several other books over the next few years, but it was 1978's Freight Train that won him a Caldecott Honor and the respect of other artists in the field. He won another Caldecott Honor the next year for Truck. Several other transportation themed books followed, such as School Bus (1984), Flying (1986), and Sail Away (1995). His memories from his summers in Florida first appeared in Bigmama's and later in Shortcut. These stories are vastly different from his previous works, in that they focus on humans, and tell a more linear story.
Crews and his wife currently live in the state of New York in an old, restored farmhouse overlooking the Hudson River and the Catskill Mountains.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
March 27, 2017
Can't remember the last time I saw a carousel...but I can still remember summer days at the fair and mom waving to me as I went round and round - this book captures that feeling you had as a child.
July 10, 2018
Four years after Freight Train, which earned Donald Crews his first of two Caldecott Honors, the author-illustrator is back at it with a similar formula, this time recreating the experience of riding a carousel. With the same spare use of words as in Freight Train, we are introduced to a riderless carousel, plastic multicolored horses waiting to be mounted. Once the children get on and are harnessed in, the ride gears up into a a whirl of speed and excitement.
Calliope music blares as the horses blend into a pastel blur to those watching from the outside. It's a similar visual experience for the kids looking out from the carousel, a halo of colors and sights and sounds. The music slows, the horses relax their bobbing motion, and the carousel coasts to a stop. The horses are prepared to do it all again when the next batch of youngsters board the iconic amusement park attraction.
I like Donald Crews's art style. The blurry carousel at top speed is amazing in the same way as the blurry train in Freight Train, and evokes some of the sensation of riding a carousel as a kid. The writing isn't quite as smooth in this book, but the art makes it worth a read, and I might rate Carousel one and a half stars. The reason I don't go higher is that there's virtually no story. If you love children's rides or illustrations that rise to the level of fine art, pick up a copy of Carousel. You'll have fun.
Calliope music blares as the horses blend into a pastel blur to those watching from the outside. It's a similar visual experience for the kids looking out from the carousel, a halo of colors and sights and sounds. The music slows, the horses relax their bobbing motion, and the carousel coasts to a stop. The horses are prepared to do it all again when the next batch of youngsters board the iconic amusement park attraction.
I like Donald Crews's art style. The blurry carousel at top speed is amazing in the same way as the blurry train in Freight Train, and evokes some of the sensation of riding a carousel as a kid. The writing isn't quite as smooth in this book, but the art makes it worth a read, and I might rate Carousel one and a half stars. The reason I don't go higher is that there's virtually no story. If you love children's rides or illustrations that rise to the level of fine art, pick up a copy of Carousel. You'll have fun.
May 4, 2023
This is another fantastic Crews picture book. Artwork was created with collage and photographed collages with movement to create the amazing illustrations, where a carousel is seen still, as well as is motion. Spare text with a heavy reliance on illustrations to tell the story of a carousel. Readers must read the copyright page for details on artwork. This is the perfect read aloud before riding the carousel. Highly recommended.
February 11, 2021
We felt like we were on a carousel.
February 19, 2021
The color and action of a carousel ride are captured within the pages of this simple book. As a kid who adored the merry-go-round, I am sure I would have enjoyed this book.
December 6, 2023
A concept picture book that really captures motion and the experience of riding a carousel. But I'm left wondering: Is that enough?
September 18, 2012
Brief text and illustrations recreate a ride on a merry-go-round.
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January 21, 2015Carousel teachers younger children (preschool to kindergarten) about carousels and how they function. This book depicts sound and speed as well.
May 1, 2015
I thought the kids disliked this book, but then they both asked for it again the next night. I liked the concept, but disliked that caurosels doubt move that fast.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews