The Search for Carmella

by Chloe Savage, Chloe Savage (Illustrator)

Overview

From the acclaimed creator of The Search for the Giant Arctic Jellyfish comes a stunning book about wonder, bravery, and the freedom to pursue your curiosity.

Ever since Dr. Rose was a little girl playing in rock pools, she has always loved exploring the sea and the weird and wonderful creatures living there. Now, as a marine biologist, Dr. Rose is in search of a sea creature rumored to reside within the ocean’s hidden depths, a mysterious beast that many speak of but no one has ever seen: Carmella. With her team of scientists and explorers, descending in a submersible to the unfathomable dark of the deep ocean, what incredible creatures will Dr. Rose discover inhabiting a nearly pitch-black world? Rich with the magnificent sea life that can be found in deep water, Chloe Savage’s strikingly illustrated tale of a strong-willed woman scientist will spark young readers to pursue their own dreams, no matter how elusive.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781536238976
Publisher:	Candlewick Press
Publication date:	02/04/2025
Series:	Hidden Wonders
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	8.60(w) x 12.14(h) x 0.45(d)
Age Range:	3 - 7 Years

About the Author

Chloe Savage is the author-illustrator of The Search for the Giant Arctic Jellyfish, her debut picture book, which Kirkus Reviews called “whimsical and wonderful” in a starred review. The recipient of a BA in TV and film set design from Cardiff University in Wales and an MA in children’s book illustration from the Cambridge School of Art in England, Chloe Savage has worked in opera, film, and television, and says she discovered her passion for illustration and storytelling while doodling on call sheets. A great lover of food and the seaside, Chloe Savage lives in England.

Editorial Reviews

Dreamy.
—Kirkus Reviews

The intricate depictions of sea creatures are inspired by science and a delight, while attention to detail brings the wonders of marine biology to life. A fantastic addition to library collections with an inspiring heroine and a window into deep-sea exploration, this is perfect choice for story hours and STEM programs alike.
—School Library Journal

Savage is careful to balance the dreamy, surreal unknowability of the ocean with the sturdy orderliness of the research boat, though there’s a nice detail that blends both and underscores the book’s message that science is magic.
—Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

From the Publisher

2024-11-09
An imaginary expedition to find a mythical sea creature.

Savage’s new book follows a similar storyline as her debut,The Search for the Giant Arctic Jellyfish (2023). Light-skinned Dr. Rose, an intrepid marine biologist, gathers a diverse crew to prove the existence of an elusive, legendary sea creature that resembles a giant squid, though its species is never identified. Carmella, as they call the beast, supposedly “roams the deepest, darkest oceans, lighting up the water with its magic.” To track the creature, Dr. Rose descends into the ocean in a submersible, along with brown-skinned pilot Anne and Stanley the dog. It’s not clear where this expedition takes place, but there are flamingoes on the ship’s deck and flying nearby. “Mile after mile, they see absolutely nothing at all,” but readers are in on Savage’s hide-and-seek game: Lurking above the submersible is a giant crimson tentacle likely belonging to Carmella. Dr. Rose and Anne don’t see the tentacle, but they delight in the oddball gossamer glowing white creatures floating around them, “some tiny, some spiny, some like squishy, shimmering jelly,” artfully and whimsically illustrated in ink and watercolor. The women keep searching but never glimpse what readers see as Carmella lurks below them, culminating in a beautiful spread of the submersible reflected in the eye of the beast. As with her previous book, Savage includes playful ship cutaways that show the activities of the crew on board.

Dreamy.(Picture book. 3-7)

Kirkus Reviews