The midnight carnival - Erika McGann

Winner of the Waverton Good Read Children's Prize 2014!

A bearded ballerina, a young contortionist and a troupe of creepy clowns ...

It's the end of summer when a weird carnival rolls into town. Grace and her five magic friends make the most of it. But the gaudy lights and colours hide a dark secret. And when the girls are driven apart by doubts - and a wicked enchantment - they start keeping secrets too... As the most powerful evil they've ever encountered closes in, canthey still trust each other with their lives?

'McGann's debut is funny, a bit scary and surprisingly realistic... Preteens will enjoy the easy read, identify with the characters and ask for more' Kirkus Reviews on The Demon Notebook

McGann has created a satisfying, entertaining page turner... the castles, dungeons, fairy creatures and magical wizardry match pretty much anything you'd come across in Hogwarts' booksforkeeps.co.uk on The Watching Wood