The Gathering

Teacher Resource Essay Podcast

Publisher's synopsis

When Nathanial and his mother move to the quiet, safe streets of Cheshunt, he immediately senses something wrong. Violent gangs patrol the streets, feral dogs roam at night, and the oppressive stench from the abattoir lingers over the school.

Soon Nathanial learns that his presence is no accident. As he uncovers the dark secrets of Cheshunt’s past, and events spiral desperately out of control, he and his new friends must confront phantoms from their past in the battle to stop the Gathering and its terrifying creator.

Awards

Children’s Peace Lit Award (PEACE) • Joint winner • 1993 • Best Book
CBC Book of the Year • Winner • 1994 • Prize for Writing for Young Adults
WAYRBA Children’s Choice Awards • Second • 1994 • Prize for Writing for Young Adults
3M Talking Book Award-NSW • Shortlisted • 1994 • Talking Book
YABBA Children’s Choice Awards • Shortlisted • 1994 • Prize for Writing for Young Adults
KOALA Children’s Choice Awards • Shortlisted • 1995 • Prize for Writing for Young Adults

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The Garret: Isobelle Carmody

Isobelle Carmody

Isobelle Carmody is one of Australia’s most highly acclaimed authors of fantasy. At fourteen, she began Obernewtyn, the first book in her much-loved Obernewtyn Chronicles, and has since written many works in this genre. Her novel The Gathering was joint winner of the 1993 Children’s Literature Peace Prize and the 1994 CBCA Book of the Year Award, and Greylands was joint winner of the 1997 Aurealis Award for Excellence in Speculative Fiction (Young Adult category), and was named a White Raven at the 1998 Bologna Children’s Book Fair.

Isobelle’s work for younger readers includes her two series, The Legend of Little Fur, and The Kingdom of the Lost, the first book of which, The Red Wind, won the CBCA Book of the Year Award for Younger Readers in 2011. She has also written several picture books as well as collections of short stories for children, young adults and adults.

Bio: Penguin Books Australia
Photo: Cat Sparks, courtesy of Penguin Books Australia

A warm, funny, endearing, compelling, chilling, heart-stopping book. Read it!

Magpies

Further Details

Author Isobelle Carmody

Publisher Penguin Random House Australia

Date of Publication 1993

ISBN 9780140360592

Category Young Adult

SCIS Number

5475731

Pages

288