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A review by emkoshka
The Watertower by Gary Crew
4.0
Back in junior school, our librarian used to read to us from books short-listed for the Children's Book Council of Australia awards each year and then we would have our own ballot to choose our favourite. One year this was one of the books shortlisted. It's stayed with me ever since because of the sheer creepiness of the tale – Gary Crew is well known for his dark stories – and the illustrations. Reading it again now I was pleased to find that it hits exactly the same spot as it did all those years ago.
On a hot summer's day, two boys go for a swim in the local watertower, an alien-looking structure that exudes malevolence over the town. Stephen Woolman's rich illustrations perfectly capture the tension of Crew's story, and become increasingly creepy towards the end, particularly the pages in which the townspeople look towards the watertower, malevolent intent in their eyes, a pitchfork in the hand of one. Their eyes absolutely glow with a terrible and sinister charm as Bubba, one of the boys, becomes one of them.
On a hot summer's day, two boys go for a swim in the local watertower, an alien-looking structure that exudes malevolence over the town. Stephen Woolman's rich illustrations perfectly capture the tension of Crew's story, and become increasingly creepy towards the end, particularly the pages in which the townspeople look towards the watertower, malevolent intent in their eyes, a pitchfork in the hand of one. Their eyes absolutely glow with a terrible and sinister charm as Bubba, one of the boys, becomes one of them.