Barnaby Grimes Curse of the Night Wolf by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell

This fabulous gothic horror story is set in the London of Charles Dickens. Barnaby is a tick tock lad or messenger. He uses the roof tops as a quick route across the city and he knows all the nooks and crannies like the back of his hand.

The first page sets the tone for this book “Have you ever felt your skin being peeled slowly away from your arms and legs. Your muscles being torn and shredded as every bone in your body fights to burst through your flesh? Have you ever felt every tendon and sinew stretched to breaking point as your skeleton attempts to rip itself apart from the inside? I have and I’ll never forget it.”
Barnaby finds himself in the employ of the mysterious Dr Cadallader. Read more about the plot here.

Paul Stewart gives marvelous descriptions of his characters. Dr Cadallader had long white hair, parted in the centre, a pale, almost chalky pallor to his face and a pair of pince-nez spectacles. The illustrations by Chris Riddell are so detailed and fine. I especially liked the one on page 62 which shows Barnaby descending from a rooftop in a maneuver called a rolling derby. You can read more about these moves on the web site for this book listed below.

If you enjoy a touch of horror, werewolves, sinister characters and things that go bump in the night look for this book in our library you will not be disappointed. The web site for this book is outstanding - don't miss it. Turn on your computer and listen to the web site sound effects as you begin to read this story. Good news there are at least two more books in this series for you to enjoy too! Look for Legion of the dead and Return of the emerald skull.