SATA
ENTRY TYPE:
WORK TITLE: Attack of the Forty-Foot Chicken
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: https://www.patrickcarman.com/
CITY:
STATE:
COUNTRY:
NATIONALITY: American
LAST VOLUME: SATA 305
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Born February 27, 1966; father an entrepreneur; married; wife’s name Karen; children: Reece, Sierra (daughters).
EDUCATION:Willamette University, B.S. (economics), 1988.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Author, entrepreneur, and literacy advocate. Founder of the podcast company, GoKidGo; an advertising agency; and other companies. Designer of packaging and marketing material; former game designer. Presenter at schools; volunteer on behalf of literacy campaigns.
AVOCATIONS:Fly fishing, mountain biking, running, crossword puzzles, basketball, golf, reading, movies, video games, spending time with family.
AWARDS:iParenting Media Award, 2005, and Lamplighter Award, 2007, both for The Dark Hills Divide; Lamplighter Award, 2008, for Beyond the Valley of Thorns; National Literacy Explore New Worlds selection, Library of Congress, for “Land of Elyon” series; E.B. White Award nomination, 2008, and Truman Award nomination, 2009, both for Atherton; Children’s Book Council (CBC) Best Books nomination, 2010, for The Crossbones; CBC Best Book nomination, 2010, and Quick Picks for Reluctant Young-Adult Readers designation, American Library Association, 2011, both for Thirteen Days to Midnight; Parents’ Choice Award, 2011, for Floors; numerous state and child-selected awards.
WRITINGS
Author of episodes of Patrick Carman’s 3:15 Stories (television series), 2011, and Bar Karma (television series). Author’s novels have been translated into several languages.
The Land of Elyon was adapted for film by CGI Films. Skeleton Creek was optioned for film. Several of Carman’s novels were adapted as audiobooks by Brilliance Audio. The Black Circle and The Dark Planet were adapted for audiobook, read by David Pittu, Scholastic Audiobooks, 2009. 3 Below was adapted for audiobook, read by Jesse Bernstein, Scholastic Audiobooks, 2012. The Field of Wacky Inventions was adapted for audiobook, read by Jesse Bernstein, Scholastic Audiobooks, 2013.
SIDELIGHTS
A versatile author and outspoken literacy advocate, Patrick Carman writes entertaining stories for children and teens that sometimes expand the traditional reading experience through the use of other media. While his “Pulse” series for young adults and his “Land of Elyon” and “Floors” novels for children are traditional page-turners, Carman’s “Skeleton Key” and futuristic “Trackers” books mix a written narrative with web-accessible videos “created” by one of his fictional narrators. In addition to series work, he has produced stand-alone novels that include the haunting Thirteen Days to Midnight and (open new) the touching Mr. Gedrick and Me, as well as entertaining younger children in his “Elliot’s Park,” “Fizzopolis,” and “Bonkers!” chapter books.(close new—more below)
A second-generation entrepreneur, Carman successfully launched four businesses—including an advertising agency—before beginning his writing career. His first work was a fantasy novel for children that was inspired by his daughters Reece and Sierra. Completing the book in nine months, Carman opted to self-publish and The Dark Hills Divide became a local hit in western Washington State, where he lives. After a representative from Scholastic publishers discovered the book, Carman was contracted to write his “Land of Elyon” series for middle graders.
When readers meet Alexa Daley in The Dark Hills Divide , the twelve-year-old is living in a city surrounded by high walls, where she feels trapped and longs for escape. When she finds a tunnel that allows her to leave the protected city, Alexa ventures into the unknown and discovers a magical stone that enables her to communicate with animals. From these creatures, Alexa learns that her home fortress has been penetrated by a spy who seeks to destroy the city. It is up to her to return home, identify this spy, and eradicate the threat to her friends and loved ones.
Calling The Dark Hills Divide an “entertaining, accessible fantasy” that features a “highly cinematic” text, School Library Journal contributor Beth Wright added that Carman’s inclusion of “double identities, mysterious codes, and Alexa’s magical gift of speaking with animals” enriches his entertaining tale. The “Land of Elyon” series continues in Beyond the Valley of Thorns, The Tenth City, and Stargazer as well as being foreshadowed in the prequel Into the Mist. Citing the “nonstop action” in Into the Mist, a Kirkus Reviews writer added that this page-turning tale moves “from crisis to crisis and ends on a classic Carman cliffhanger.”
Also geared for middle graders, Carman’s “Atherton” trilogy takes place in a feudal fantasy world. In Atherton the richest citizens live in the Highlands while the lower flatlands—known as the Tabletop—are home to farmers and peasantry. Social and political chaos ensues after an earthquake reduces Atherton’s highlands to the level of the Tabletop. In series opener House of Power twelve-year-old orphaned Edgar has survived this chaos and now goes in search of a secret book said to contain Atherton’s secrets. Edgar’s quest leads him to discover the land’s actual creator and learn about the city’s genesis following Earth’s ecological meltdown. Edgar’s adventures continue in Rivers of Fire as he and friends Samuel and Isabel attempt to bring water back to their parched and ecologically damaged land, while in The Dark Planet his understanding of Atherton’s past inspire him to find a way to return to his species’ native planet. In School Library Journal, Danielle Serra characterized Carman’s “Atherton” saga as “action-driven sci-fi with unique settings populated by creative creatures.”
In Carman’s “Floors” children’s novels he treats readers to “a madcap mystery reminiscent of Roald Dahl and Ellen Raskin,” observed a Publishers Weekly contributor. Here readers meet ten-year-old Leo Fillmore, whose dad is a custodian at the fabulously idiosyncratic Whippet Hotel. The Whippet Hotel is known for its elaborate, themed suites, such as the Pinball Machine. When hotel owner Merganzer D. Whippet goes missing, Leo attempts to find him, helped by friend Remi and a talking robot. “Fantastical inventions and humorous scenarios abound, but the story also sensitively explores themes of loss, healing, and family,” as Shelle Rosenfeld noted in her Booklist.
Leo comes to the rescue after Mr. Whippet discovers that the hotel is in dire financial straits in 3 Below, and the “Floors” trilogy concludes in The Field of Wacky Inventions, as Leo and Remi compete to see who will run Whippet’s global chain of hotels. “Carman … is an intricate yet bell-clear storyteller, all the many wheels freely spinning but meshed,” concluded a Kirkus Reviews writer in appraising the “Floors” novels, and School Library Journal critic Kerry Roeder judged The Field of Wacky Inventions to be “a fast-paced, funny, and charming book that is ideal for engaging reluctant readers.”
Carman’s “Skeleton Creek” series attracts reluctant young-adult readers through its adventurous, fast-moving storyline and a multi-platform format that allows readers to go deeper into the story. The saga begins in Skeleton Creek, as fifteen-year-old friends Ryan McRay and Sarah Fincher are drawn into an old-fashioned mystery after a night exploring a nearby creek where miners once panned for gold. Curious as to how Skeleton Creek got its name, the two teens uncover evidence of an old murder and a story of spectral haunting. Their adventures continue in Ghost in the Machine as they realize that someone—or something—is determined to keep them from learning the truth about the strange goings-on at Skeleton Creek. A secret society figures in the plot of The Crossbones, while The Raven finds Ryan and Sarah enmeshed in an even-more-intricate mystery.
In addition to perusing Ryan’s narrative, which is typeset on ruled pages to resemble a handwritten journal, readers can go online and view Sarah’s videos about the creek and its secrets, gaining a visual aspect of the “Skeleton Creek” stories. Writing in Booklist, Stephanie Zvirin noted of Skeleton Creek that Carman’s “accessible, journal-type text, full of mystery and foreshadowing, pulls from the outset,” and Courtney Jones concluded in the same periodical that Ghost in the Machine sustains an “eerie mood” that “makes this mystery a good read.”
Set in the near future, Carman’s “Pulse” series of dystopian thrillers concerns Faith Daniels, a teenager living in an environmentally devastated region between the government-controlled Eastern and Western states. Gifted with the “pulse,” the power of telekinesis, Faith and her boyfriend Dylan ally with genius classmate Hawk. In their first series installment, the three teens’ goal is to vanquish the threat posed by Clara and Wade Quinn, unscrupulous twins who possess extraordinary powers. The series continues in Tremor and Quake, as Faith, Dylan, and Hawk battle the Quinns as well as Hotspur Chance, an evil mastermind who is plotting the demise of millions. An “impressive take on the postapocalyptic novel,” according to a Publishers Weekly critic, Pulse “mixes high school drama with mutations and conspiracies.” A Kirkus Reviews critic noted of Quake that “Carman keeps the action moving.”
A multimedia project geared for young adults, Trackers is set in a near-future Seattle where geeky teens Adam, Lewis, Finn, and Emily channel their technological super-savvy into work tracking down computer hackers. Calling their business Trackers, the teens become upset when their computers are compromised by super-hacker Lasko and his accomplice and several of Adam’s inventions are stolen. The Trackers now go on the defensive, especially after Lasko attempts to use stolen plans to blackmail the teens into giving him computer access to the world’s banking complex. Trackers is “an ingenious and entertaining mystery on several levels,” noted School Library Journal contributor Jeffrey Hastings, the critic adding that Adam’s narrative is supplemented on the Trackers website, which hosts videos accessed using codes found in the text of Carman’s novel.
Carman also taps the possibilities of multi-platform storytelling in his companion novels Dark Eden and Eve of Destruction. In the former, readers meet Will Besting, a fifteen-year-old who uncovers disturbing secrets about Fort Eden, an isolated compound where he and six other teens are receiving treatment for phobias from a sinister man named Rainsford. In Eve of Destruction Will and his comrades return to Fort Eden. Although they seek relief from the debilitating physical ailments suffered as a result of Rainsford’s “cures,” they soon find themselves at the mercy of the duplicitous Eve Goring. “This edgy psychological horror is clever, suspenseful, and thoroughly modern,” Heather Booth commented in a Booklist review of Dark Eden, the critic adding that a smart-phone app extends the literary experience of Carman’s riveting story.
(open new)Written for middle-graders, the “Bonkers!” series is as quirky as the “Trackers” series is suspenseful. Its first installment, The Terror in Jenny’s Armpit, stars Jenny Kim, Fen Stenson, and Barker Mifflin as a trio of friends whose seemingly-harmless actions get them into big trouble. Jenny, Fen, and Barker break into an abandoned building once owned by an organization called Colossal Chemistry. There, Jenny bumps what looks like a small, orange ball, and Fen steals some papers. Not long after their adventure in the building, Jenny discovers that a strange being has sprouted from her armpit. Fen learns from the papers he stole that the creature is a Snerb and was made by Colossal Chemistry to fight pollution. The three friends search for Colossal Chemistry scientist, Dr. Vernsy Von Vexler, to help them get rid of the Snerb. In an interview with Robert Lee Brewer, contributor to the Writer’s Digest website, Carman discussed his writing process and the surprises he experienced while creating the book. He stated: “With this book, the characters were way funnier than I thought they would be, so the book became more of a comedy than a horror story about a monster growing out of a kid’s armpit (which is also hilarious).” Commenting on what he hoped readers would take away from the book, Carman stated: “I hope kids laugh, mostly. I hope they have a good time. I hope they get done and wish they could keep reading.” A writer in Kirkus Reviews predicted: “Readers will find Jenny’s story irresistibly compelling despite … the inventively grotesque depictions of the Snerb.” The same writer described the volume as “charmingly absurd and hilariously icky.”
The second volume in the “Bonkers!” series, Escape from the Dungeons of Snerbville, finds Barker confronting the Snerbs in their underground network of tunnels, known as Snerbville. In Snerbville with him is Tilda Huxley, the daughter of Colossal Chemistry’s founder. Tilda is less than a foot tall, having endured being accidentally shrunken. As Barker and Tilda try to uncover the secrets of Snerbville, Dr. Vexler and the other kids also fight back against the growing number of Snerbs. A contributor to Kirkus Reviews called the book “ridiculous and hilarious.”(close new—more below)
In Thirteen Days to Midnight, a standalone mystery geared for older teens, Jacob Fielding acquires an extraordinary ability after his foster father dies in a car accident. When the older Fielding breathes his last words, “You are indestructible,” into his son’s ear, Jacob gains the ability to avoid injury and death. He can also pass his new skill along to best friends Ophelia and Milo. There prove to be unintended consequences of having this power, however, and the three teens must now decide who to save and who to let die. A Kirkus Reviews writer praised Thirteen Days to Midnight, commending Carman for crafting a thoughtful storyline that “explores survivor’s guilt and raises theological issues” within his “action-packed and twisted tale.” Peters deemed Thirteen Days to Midnight “a creepy fantasy-mystery” that also presents “a provocative take on the theme that every superpower comes with a price.”
While Thirteen Days to Midnight has sobering overtones, Carman sticks to purely lighthearted fare in Fizzopolis, a children’s novel featuring artwork by Brian Sheesley. To his delight, ten-year-old Harold Fuzzwonker discovers that his father’s latest invention, a soda pop called Fuzzwonker Fizz, can trigger the longest belches in the world. To the youngster’s amazement, the drink also generates tiny, furry creatures known as Fizzies. When Harold takes an impetuous Fizzie named Floyd to school one day, he attracts the attention of Garvin Snood, whose dad owns a rival candy company. “Carman’s story has the rapid pace and joke-dense writing of a Nickelodeon cartoon,” a contributor explained in Publishers Weekly, and a writer in Kirkus Reviews observed that “Sheesley splashes silly cartoon sketches through Harold’s sugar rush of a narrative.”
(open new)Carman’s 2017 standalone book, Mr. Gedrick and Me, touches on the more serious subject of grief. Siblings Fergus, Amelia, and Stanley try to resume their lives after the loss of their dad, Jonathan. Their mother, Elsa, also suffering, hires Mr. Gedrick, a nanny, whose magical abilities and fatherly love helps them recover from their period of grieving. A Kirkus Reviews critic suggested: “The funny and comforting way this lovely family slowly turns away from sadness is a balm for all readers.” “Rare is the book that takes on weighty subjects like grief and loss with such grace, love and wonder,” remarked Alice Cary in BookPage.(close new)
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, March 1, 2005, Sally Estes, review of The Dark Hills Divide, p. 1193; May 15, 2007, Jennifer Mattson, review of The House of Power, p. 60; May 15, 2008, Jennifer Mattson, review of Rivers of Fire, p. 56; June 1, 2008, Kay Weisman, review of Saving Mister Nibbles, p. 92; December 1, 2008, Stephanie Zvirin, review of Skeleton Creek, p. 52; December 15, 2009, Courtney Jones, review of Ghost in the Machine, p. 40; March 1, 2010, Rebecca A. Hill, interview with Carman, p. S12; May 1, 2010, John Peters, review of Thirteen Days to Midnight, p. 50; July 1, 2010, Todd Morning, review of Trackers, p. 54; March 15, 2011, Todd Morning, review of Shantorian, p. 56; October 15, 2011, Shelle Rosenfeld, review of Floors, p. 49; November 15, 2011, Heather Booth, review of Dark Eden, p. 54; March 1, 2012, Karen Cruze, review of Eve of Destruction, p. 82; December 15, 2012, Michael Cart, review of Pulse, p. 50; January 1, 2014, Michael Cart, review of Tremor, p. 104; January 1, 2015, Michael Cart, review of Quake, p. 100.
BookPage, November, 2017, Alice Cary, review of Mr. Gedrick and Me, p. 47.
Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, January, 2005, Timnah Card, review of The Dark Hills Divide, p. 202; July-August, 2007, review of The House of Power, p. 455; November, 2011, Kate Quealy-Gainer, review of Floors, p. 138; January, 2012, Kate Quealy-Gainer, review of Dark Eden, p. 246.
Kirkus Reviews, February 1, 2005, review of The Dark Hills Divide, p. 174; September 1, 2005, review of Beyond the Valley of Thorns, p. 969; May 1, 2007, review of The House of Power; September 1, 2007, review of Into the Mist; March 15, 2008, review of Saving Mister Nibbles; April 15, 2008, review of Rivers of Fire; December 1, 2008, review of Skeleton Creek; March 1, 2010, review of Thirteen Days to Midnight; April 15, 2010, review of Trackers; April 15, 2011, review of Dark Eden; August 15, 2011, review of Floors; July 15, 2012, review of 3 Below; December 1, 2012, review of Pulse; July 15, 2013, review of The Field of Wacky Inventions; December 1, 2013, review of Tremor; November 15, 2014, review of Quake ; December 1, 2015, review of Fizzopolis: The Trouble with Fuzzwonker Fizz; September 1, 2017, review of Mr. Gedrick and Me; May 15, 2024, review of Attack of the Forty-Foot Chicken; July 1, 2024, review of The Terror in Jenny’s Armpit; September 15, 2024, review of Escape from the Dungeons of Snerbville.
Kliatt, January, 2005, Claire Rosser, review of The Dark Hills Divide, p. 6.
New York Times Book Review, November 7, 2010, Sam Grobart, “Interactive Books,” p. 28.
Publishers Weekly, December 13, 2004, John F. Baker, “Big Push for Self-Published Kids’ Author,” p. 12; February 21, 2005, review of The Dark Hills Divide, p. 176; March 12, 2007, review of The House of Power, p. 58; December 15, 2008, review of Skeleton Creek, p. 55; March 15, 2010, review of Thirteen Days to Midnight, p. 5; July 18, 2011, review of Floors, p. 154; January 21, 2013, review of Pulse, p. 69; January 11, 2016, review of Fizzopolis, p. 57.
School Library Journal, April, 2005, Beth Wright, review of The Dark Hills Divide, p. 129; October, 2005, Jessi Platt, review of Beyond the Valley of Thorns, p. 154; August, 2006, Elizabeth Bird, review of The Tenth City, p. 117; June, 2007, Tasha Saecker, review of The House of Power, p. 140; August, 2008, Danielle Serra, review of Rivers of Fire, p. 116; March, 2009, Lisa Egly Lehmuller, review of The Walnut Cup, p. 107, and Caitlin August, review of Skeleton Creek, p. 142; October, 2009, Danielle Serra, review of The Dark Planet, p. 121; May, 2010, Karen E. Brooks-Reese, review of Thirteen Days to Midnight, p. 106; July, 2010, Jeffrey Hastings, review of Trackers, p. 83; October, 2009, Danielle Serra, review of The Dark Planet, p. 121; May, 2012, Ryan Donovan, review of Eve of Destruction, p. 95; October, 2012, Stephanie Whelan, review of 3 Below, p. 126; March, 2013, Cindy Wall, review of Pulse, p. 150; January, 2014, February, 2014, Kerry Roeder, review of The Field of Wacky Inventions, p. 82; March, 2014, Cindy Wall, review of Tremor, p. 154; April, 2015, review of Quake, p. 174; January, 2016, Katy Charles, review of The Trouble with Fuzzwonder Fizz, p. 82.
Seattle Post-Intelligencer, March 19, 2004, Cecelia Goodnow, “For Authors with Drive and a Good Story, Self-Publishing Can Be the Ticket”; February 27, 2009, Cecelia Goodnow, “Author’s Print-Video Hybrid Targets Readers for a Digital Age,” p. B1.
Voice of Youth Advocates, April, 2005, Ann Welton, review of The Dark Hills Divide, p. 53; June, 2011, Bethany Martin, review of Shantorian, p. 180; August, 2011, Susan Redman-Parodi, review of Dark Eden, p. 264; June, 2012, Susan Redman-Parodi, review of Eve of Destruction, p. 172; December, 2012, Stacey Hayman, review of Pulse, p. 480; February, 2014, Cheryl Clark, review of Tremor, p. 68.
ONLINE
Patrick Carman website, https://www.patrickcarman.com (December 16, 2024).
Writer’s Digest, https://www.writersdigest.com/ (March 7, 2024), Robert Lee Brewer, author interview.
Patrick Carman is the award-winning author of over 40 books for young adults and children. He has over five million books in print in 26 languages. He has spoken live to over a million young readers at 3000+ schools across the country.
Patrick is the founder of PC Studio, Inc., a digital agency with clients including Penguin Random House, Scholastic, and Harper Collins. PC Studio projects have generated over $100 million in revenue with over 50 million books in print.
Mr. Carman is a co-founder of GoKidGo, a narrative podcast company for kids with over 20 million downloads across a dozen shows. In the adult podcast space, Patrick has created #1, Ambie-nominated scripted podcasts for iHeart and Audible with millions of listens.
Patrick Carman’s books for young adults and children are published by Scholastic, Harper Collins, Penguin Random House, and Little Brown Books For Young Readers. His bestselling books and series include The Land of Elyon, Atherton, 39 Clues, Floors, Thirteen Days to Midnight, Pulse, 3:15, Fizzopolis, Mr. Gedrick and Me, Towervale, and Skeleton Creek.
Mr. Carman spends his free time supporting literacy campaigns and community organizations, running, mountain biking, flyfishing, doing crosswords, watching movies, following his favorite sports teams, reading (lots), and (more than anything else) spending time with his family. Patrick grew up in Salem, Oregon, and graduated from Willamette University. His birthday is February 27th, 1966.
For more information about the author, please visit the frequently asked questions section of this site.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Who do I contact about a press request?
If you would like to interview Mr. Carman please contact fanmail@patrickcarman.com.
How can I get Patrick Carman to come to my school and do a presentation?
Mr. Carman presents at approximately 75 schools per year. The vast majority of those presentations are tied to national touring events for different book releases. If you would like to request a school visit, please contact us at fanmail@patrickcarman.com.
How much does Patrick Carman charge for a school presentation?
The cost of a school visit varies depending on the event type, the amount of travel, and the time involved. Please contact us for details. Karen’s email address is fanmail@patrickcarman.com.
What topics does Patrick Carman cover in a school presentation?
Regardless of age, Mr. Carman focuses his presentations on the importance of reading and writing and the magic of storytelling. His talks are humorous, memorable, filled with stories from his own childhood, and inspiring for students.
What are the best age groups for Patrick Carman’s presentations?
Mr. Carman writes books for children as young as 1st grade all the way up to young adults in high school. The best groups are usually grade clusters of 1st and 2nd graders, 3rd – 6th graders, 7th – 8th graders, and 9th – 10th graders, but other mixes can be just as successful.
How long does a presentation take?
Mr. Carman’s school presentation usually lasts about 45 minutes, followed by Q and A and small group visits.
Is there anything I should do to prepare for a school visit?
The best thing a school can do to prepare for an author visit is to have the students read Mr. Carman’s books. Kids who have read even one of Mr. Carman’s books get a lot more out of the visit than those that have read none.
How old is Mr. Carman and what is his birthday?
Mr. Carman’s birthday is February 27th, 1966. You’ll have to figure out his age on your own!
Where did Mr. Carman go to school?
Patrick graduated high school from Sacred Heart Academy in 1984, and graduated from Willamette University in 1988.
Why does Patrick Carman create Multimedia books?
One of Mr. Carman’s passions is getting young people excited about reading. Seeing the trends in technology he realizes that getting kids to sit down and read a book is more difficult now that it ever has been. Incorporating video games and videos is a way for young people to bridge the gap between technology and reading.
Where can I find out about Mr. Carman’s touring dates?
The best way to track touring dates is to keep an eye on my Facebook page. If I’m touring or about to tour, you’ll find info there. See the Facebook link at the bottom of all the pages on this site.
How long has Mr. Carman been writing books?
Mr. Carman began writing novels in 2001. His first book, The Dark Hills Divide, was published by Scholastic in 2003.
What awards have Mr. Carman’s books won or been nominated for?
Visit the Awards page for a current list
Does Mr. Carman have any writing tips he can provide?
Mr. Carman has produced a video series on the writing process to help aspiring young writers. You can find the videos on the writing tips page of this site.
What’s the hardest thing about being a writer?
Mr. Carman is a social butterfly, so the hardest thing about writing is closing the door and staying alone for hours on end.
What are Mr. Carman’s favorite books and writers?
Mr. Carman’s favorite writers are John Steinbeck, David James Duncan, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Roald Dahl, Charles Dickens, JRR Tolkien, Norman Maclean, Edgar Allen Poe, and Richard Russo.
For the very young: Where the Wild Things Are, anything by Dr. Seuss.
Middle grade readers: The Borrowers, Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh, James and the Giant Peach, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Holes, Frindle, Mr. Popper’s Penguins, the Graveyard Book.
All time favorite reads: The Alchemist, East of Eden, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Catcher in the Rye, The Grapes of Wrath, The Brothers K, Ender’s Game, The Outsiders, The Miracle Life of Edgar Mint, A Separate Peace, Cannery Row, Tortilla Flats, A River Runs Through It, Huckleberry Finn, The Once and Future King, All Over But the Shoutin, The Killer Angels, Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, The Glass Castle, The Sky Fisherman, Motherless Brooklyn, The Pillars of the Earth, Empire Falls.
Favorite Classics: Le Miserable, The Brothers Karamazov, Frankenstein, The Old Man and the Sea, Oliver Twist, The Turn of the Screw, The short works of Edgar Allen Poe.
Favorite Poets: Robert Frost, William Carlos Williams, Edgar Allen Poe, Shel Silverstein
About writing: On Writing (Stephen King)
The great outdoors: The Solace of Open Spaces, Into the Wild, The River Why.
Desert time: A Generous Orthodoxy, the Universal Christ, Falling Upwards, When the Heart Waits, To Bless the Space Between Us,
What are Mr. Carman’s future plans as a writer?
Keep an eye on the site for everything Patrick Carman will be working on in the future.
What does Mr. Carman like to do when he’s not writing books or touring for books?
Fly fishing, volunteering in the community, playing chess and cards, cooking, golfing, riding bikes, running, traveling, watching movies and TV shows, and hanging out with family.
Does Mr. Carman have any pets?
Otto, an old Chihuahua.
Where does Mr. Carman do his writing?
Usually in an office in Walla Walla, Washington.
How long does it take for Mr. Carman to write a book?
This varies wildly depending on the project. A big novel takes up to six months, a short chapter book might only take two weeks. It really depends on the length more than anything. 100,000 words takes longer to write than 5,000.
How do I get my own book published?
If you have a book or a story you would like to have published, Mr. Carman’s best advice is to read Stephen King’s book On Writing. All the answers you need are in there.
Does Mr. Carman read books by aspiring authors and comment on them?
He used to, but the number of submissions Mr. Carman receives makes it impractical to continue doing so. He wishes he had time to read everything that comes across his desk, but there’s simply not enough time in the day. He hopes readers will understand!
What was the inspiration for each of Mr. Carman’s books?
Mr. Carman’s books are all inspired by different people for different reasons. Each book has a dedication that can be found in the first few pages. Often, there is also an acknowledgement section at the back of each book that lists other important people that inspired the book.
Where does Mr. Carman come up with his characters?
This is best answered by watching the two Writing Atherton videos called Developing Characters sequence 1 and 2. Those videos can be found in the writing tips section of this site.
Are any of the characters in Mr. Carman’s books based on real people?
Very rarely. It’s far more common to find a certain character trait or a physical feature based on someone Mr. Carman knows. He has, on occasion, inserted a character based on someone he knows, but he has not revealed who those characters and people are.
My question is not answered here. How do I find the answer?
Send an email to fanmail@patrickcarman.com with the subject line ‘FAQ did not answer my question’ and then ask your question in the email. We will do everything we can to answer you quickly or update the FAQ and let you know your question has been added to the site. Please be patient! Sometimes Mr. Carman is traveling or on a writing deadline and cannot answer new questions for several weeks.
QUOTED: "With this book, the characters were way funnier than I thought they would be, so the book became more of a comedy than a horror story about a monster growing out of a kid’s armpit (which is also hilarious)."
"I hope kids laugh, mostly. I hope they have a good time. I hope they get done and wish they could keep reading."
Patrick Carman: I Write Books I Would Have Read as a Kid
In this interview, author Patrick Carman discusses how growing up on oddball comedies helped inspire his new children’s novel, The Terror in Jenny’s Armpit.
Robert Lee BrewerMar 7, 2024
Patrick Carman has authored 40 novels with over five million books in print across 23 countries, including The 39 Clues, Skeleton Creek, The Land of Elyon, and Floors. He is also the creator of “Aftershock,” a #1 fiction podcast on Apple and iHeart, and co-founder and Chief Creative Officer of GoKidGo, where he writes, directs, and produces every GoKidGo show.
Mr. Carman is an inexhaustible public speaker who presents at events including the National Book Festival, the LA Book Festival, and the American Library Association national conference. He has spoken live to over a million students at over 2,500 schools across the country. Follow him on X (Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram.
Patrick Carman: I Write Books I Would Have Read as a Kid
Patrick Carman
In this interview, Patrick discusses how growing up on oddball comedies helped inspire his new children’s novel, The Terror in Jenny’s Armpit (The Bonkers Series), his advice for other writers, and more!
Name: Patrick Carman
Literary agent: Jennifer Joel, CAA
Book title: The Terror in Jenny’s Armpit (The Bonkers Series)
Publisher: Blackstone
Release date: March 5, 2024
Genre/category: Juvenile fiction
Previous titles: Land of Elyon series, 39 Clues, Skeleton Creek series, Floors, Dark Eden, Pulse trilogy, Atherton trilogy, Mr. Gedrick and Me, Fizzopolis trilogy, 3:15, Towervale, Voyagers, and more.
Elevator pitch: There’s something in Jenny’s armpit. And it’s getting bigger.
Patrick Carman: I Write Books I Would Have Read as a Kid
Bookshop | Amazon
[WD uses affiliate links.]
What prompted you to write this book?
I grew up watching cheesy 1970s television and reading oddball books like The Fish that Saved Pittsburgh, The Rats of Nimh, and everything by Roald Dahl. I was also reading a lot of trash—scary comic books, Mad Magazine—and sneaking into movies like Alien and Blazing Saddles. It was a heady time in the city for a kid! Throw "Fantasy Island," "Tales from the Crypt," Young Frankenstein, Meatballs, House of Mystery comic books, and Life of Brian into a blender and you get … The Terror in Jenny’s Armpit! Which is to say, a strange story that’s also funny.
How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?
You might think getting someone to publish a book called The Terror in Jenny’s Armpit would be quite a bit of work over 10 or 20 years. But you would be wrong! It actually took 30 years. Also, I’m lying. I was as surprised as anyone at how quickly the series got picked up because let’s be honest, the whole idea is bonkers. Maybe that’s why it works: It’s so weird an editor can’t say no. These days, I generally write a book before I go to a publisher, and I knew Dan Ehrenhaft at Blackstone from some previous projects—this seemed like something he would like, and he got it right away. I didn’t take it to anyone else, so it closed over the course of a month or so. Liner note: I still don’t know how to pronounce Dan’s last name and I’ve known him for 20 years. It would probably help if I asked him.
Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?
This book has an animated show that comes out at the same time as the book, so I realized (a little later than I should have) that the book should probably look like the show. Luckily everyone knows I don’t really know what I’m doing, so it all worked out in the end with a lot of help from other people. I also learned that mid-sized publishers are different from big publishers in ways that make sense for someone like me. A mid-sized publisher is more nimble and more open to new ways of doing things. It’s good to have more freedom, but it’s also more responsibility.
Carman, 3:7
Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?
I’m ALWAYS surprised by where books go. It’s like I have a throughline all figured out, and in the end things sort of start and end like I thought they would, but the rest is often very unexpected. Characters, if they’re any good, will do things you don’t expect them to do. Once they start doing what they want, you’re along for the ride, hanging on for dear life, and hoping you wake up from the fever dream and there’s a book at the end. Usually, it works out. With this book, the characters were way funnier than I thought they would be, so the book became more of a comedy than a horror story about a monster growing out of a kid’s armpit (which is also hilarious).
What do you hope readers will get out of your book?
I write books that I would have read when I was a kid, and I was a tough audience. If it didn’t grab me in the first few pages, I went back to comic books and “Batman and Robin” reruns. I’ve also visited over 3,000 schools and seen about 1 million kids. So many kids don’t read just for the fun of it anymore. I hope kids laugh, mostly. I hope they have a good time. I hope they get done and wish they could keep reading.
If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?
Do it because it’s fun. Life’s too short to do it for any other reason because writing is hard. But it’s also fun!
Patrick Carman
Article
Talk
Read
Edit
View history
Tools
Appearance hide
Text
Small
Standard
Large
Width
Standard
Wide
Color (beta)
Automatic
Light
Dark
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sorry to interrupt, but our fundraiser won't last long
This Tuesday, we ask you to join the 2% of readers who give. If everyone reading this right now gave just $2.75, we'd hit our goal in a couple of hours. $2.75 is all we ask.
Give $2.75 Maybe later
October 29: Wikipedia still can't be sold.
We're sorry we've asked you a few times recently, but it's Tuesday, October 29, and this message will be up for only a few hours. We're happy you consult Wikipedia often. If everyone reading this gave $2.75, we'd hit our goal in a few hours. Just 2% of our readers donate, so if Wikipedia has given you $2.75 worth of knowledge, please give. Any contribution helps, whether it's $2.75 or $25.
Give $2.75
Give a different amount
Wikimedia Foundation Logo
Maybe later
I already donated
Close
This biography about a living person needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately from the article and its talk page, especially if potentially libelous.
Find sources: "Patrick Carman" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (October 2007) (Learn how and when to remove this message)
Patrick Carman
Born Patrick Carman
February 27, 1966 (age 58)[1]
Salem, Oregon, U.S.
Occupation
Novelistshort story writerscreenwriter
Genre Young adult, fantasy, science fiction, children's literature
Notable works Skeleton Creek Saga, The Land of Elyon Series, Atherton Series, Atherton Thirteen Days to Midnight, and Elliot's Park Series
Website
www.patrickcarman.com
Patrick Carman (born February 27, 1966, in Salem, Oregon) is an American writer and a graduate of Willamette University.
Carman's first book, The Dark Hills Divide, was published in 2005[2] The book, and the subsequent books in the same series (The Land of Elyon), were all New York Times bestsellers.[3] The Land of Elyon has been translated into over twenty languages. The series was nominated for many state and national awards.
Carman followed the five-book Elyon series with the Atherton trilogy, which was shortlisted for the Texas Bluebonnet. Over two dozen books followed across middle grade and YA, including award-winning bestsellers Skeleton Creek, Floors, Pulse, Dark Eden, and Fizzopolis.
Carman is a public speaker who presents at national events throughout the year including the National Book Festival, the LA Book Festival, and the School Library Journal Summit. He has also spoken to over a million students at 2500+ schools across the country. On March 5, 2011, Patrick Carman gave a TED talk about 21st-Century literacy. He started an annual event in his own hometown, Walla Walla Kids Read, as a blueprint for literacy in rural communities.
Awards
Texas Bluebonnet Award master list
2020: Mr. Gedrick and Me
Parents Choice Award, US
2015: Floors
Rhode Island Children's Book Award, Nominee
2015: Floors
Official Selection, Story Lab Summer Reading Program, UK
2015: Floors
2011 New Mexico Land of Enchantment
2011: Skeleton Creek
2008: The Dark Hills Divide
2008-2009: The Dark Hills Divide
Children's Book Council nominee
2010: The Crossbones
2010: Thirteen Days to Midnight
YALSA Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers list
2011: Thirteen Days to Midnight
Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Awards
2010-2011: Skeleton Creek
Delaware Diamonds Booklist
2010-2011: Skeleton Creek
Oregon Battle of the Books List
2010-2011: Skeleton Creek
2008-2009: The Dark Hills Divide
2008-2009: Atherton: The House of Power
Truman Award Nominee
2009-2010: Atherton
National E.B. White Award Nominee
2008: Atherton
National Lamplighter Award
2008: Beyond the Valley of Thorns
2007: The Dark Hills Divide
Wyoming Statewide Soaring Eagle Book Award short list
2009: Atherton: House of Power
Florida Sunshine State Young Reader's Award Program short list
2008-2009: The Land of Elyon
2008-2009: Elliot's Park
New Hampshire Isinglass Teen Book Award Short List
2008: Atherton: The House of Power
VOYA's 2008 Top Shelf Fiction for Middle School Readers List
National Literacy Explore New Worlds Booklist (1 of 20 books chosen by the Library of Congress)
Land of Elyon
The Texas Bluebonnet Award (shortlist)
2008: Atherton: The House of Power
Junior Library Guild Premier Selection
2008: Atherton: The House of Power
Kids Wings Award recipient
2008: Atherton: The House of Power
Cochecho Readers Award
2005-2006: The Dark Hills Divide
Great Stone Face Award nominee
2006: The Dark Hills Divide
Indian Paintbrush Award nominee
2005-2006: The Dark Hills Divide
Black-Eyed Susan Award nominee
2006-2007: The Dark Hills Divide
Waukesha County Kids Choice Award nominee
2006: The Dark Hills Divide
2007: Beyond the Valley of Thorns
The Children's Crown Award nominee
2006-2007: The Dark Hills Divide
iParenting Media Award
2005: The Dark Hills Divide
Colorado Children's Book Award nominee
2007: Beyond the Valley of Thorns
Bibliography
Novels
The Black Circle (2009) - the 5th book of The 39 Clues series
Thirteen Days to Midnight (2010)
Omega Rising (2016) - the 3rd part of Voyagers series
Mr. Gedrick and Me (2019)
The Land of Elyon Series
The Dark Hills Divide (2005)
Beyond the Valley of Thorns (2005)
The Tenth City (2006)
Into the Mist (Prequel) (2007)
Stargazer (2008)
Atherton Series
House of Power (2007)
Rivers of Fire (2008)
The Dark Planet (2009)
Elliot's Park Series
Saving Mister Nibbles (2008)
Haunted Hike (2008)
The Walnut Cup (2009)
Skeleton Creek Series
Skeleton Creek (2009)
Ghost in the Machine (2009)
The Crossbones (2010)
The Raven (2011)
The Phantom Room (2014)
Skeleton Creek is Real (2014)
Trackers Series
Trackers #1 (2010)
Trackers Book 2: Shantorian (2011)
3:15 Series
3:15 Season One: Things That Go Bump in the Night (book) (2011)
Dark Eden Series
Dark Eden (2011)
Dark Eden 2: Eve of Destruction (book) (2012)
Floors Series
Floors Book 1: Floors (2011)
Floors Book 2: 3 Below (2012)
Floors Book 3: The Field of Wacky Inventions (2013)
Pulse Series
Pulse (2014)
Tremor (2015)
Quake (2016)
Fizzopolis Series
Fizzopolis: The Trouble With Fuzzwonker Fizz (2017)
Fizzopolis: Snoodles (2017)
Fizzopolis: Floozombies (2018)
Towervale Series
Towervale (2019)
Towervale II: The Crystal Mountain (2020)
QUOTED: "The funny and comforting way this lovely family slowly turns away from sadness is a balm for all readers."
Carman, Patrick MR. GEDRICK AND ME Katherine Tegen/HarperCollins (Children's Fiction) $16.99 11, 7 ISBN: 978-0-06-242160-9
A reimagined Mary Poppins, set in 21st-century Chicago, with a Mr. Gedrick playing the role of the magical nanny restoring a family from grief.Mr. Gedrick, with his green felt jacket, red tie, and crisp white shirt, channels fatherly advice with impeccable timing and just a touch of magic. And the Darrow family needs help. Jonathan was the stay-at-home dad, and his death has shattered the lives of his wife and three children. Elsa, the gifted architect mother, has lost her creative drive on an important project. Older son Fergus has retreated to baseball. Daughter Amelia, also a talented artist, hides in her room alone. It is the neglected Stanley, the endlessly optimistic narrator and youngest in the family, who connects with Mr. Gedrick and drives the whole story. (All are white.) While the death-of-a-parent genre skews serious and mystical, Carman flips this, keeping the tone as funny, energetic, and bighearted as Stanley himself. Fans of Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle and Nurse Matilda will approve while glimpsing the unsettling effects of grief. Mr. Gedrick is the fairy godfather every child needs: present, engaging, and thoughtful. But is he magical enough to fix both the family and Mom's important project? The funny and comforting way this lovely family slowly turns away from sadness is a balm for all readers--there are not many like it on the shelves. (Fiction. 8-12)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Carman, Patrick: MR. GEDRICK AND ME." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Sept. 2017. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A502192104/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=0ce432cc. Accessed 29 Oct. 2024.
QUOTED: "Rare is the book that takes on weighty subjects like grief and loss with such grace, love and wonder."
By Patrick Carman
KatherineTegen
$16.99, 224 pages
ISBN 9780062421609
eBook available
Ages 8 to 12
Everyone needs a Mr. Gedrick in their lives, but especially 9-year-old Stanley Darrow and his family, who are reeling from the death of Stanley's father. Stanley's older brother and sister ignore him, while his architect mother flounders as she attempts to work from home. Meanwhile, the house is a mess, as no one has the energy or heart to take over the duties of the Darrows' stay-at-home dad.
Healing begins when the Darrows' self-appointed nanny, a strange man named Mr. Gedrick, suddenly appears on their doorstep--a Mary Poppins-like figure with a fuzzy green jacket and an odd little car he calls Fred. Initially wary, Stanley and his family can't help but be amazed by the new-comer. Cleanup happens magically in minutes, with everyone working together with "a splish and a splash" or "a flick and a sniff." Mr. Gedrick has secret projects in store for everyone in the family, giving them the courage to tackle huge hurdles that have become road-blocks since Mr. Darrow's death, and helping them find the faith they need in themselves and each other in this new, dadless world.
Rare is the book that takes on weighty subjects like grief and loss with such grace, love and wonder, but Mr. Gedrick and Me by best-selling author Patrick Carman does all this and more while overflowing with marvelous fun.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 BookPage
http://bookpage.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
Cary, Alice. "MR.GEDRICK AND ME." BookPage, Nov. 2017, p. 47. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A511212788/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=dbbf94ef. Accessed 29 Oct. 2024.
Carman, Patrick ATTACK OF THE FORTY-FOOT CHICKEN Blackstone (Children's None) $16.99 6, 25 ISBN: 9798212538381
The town of Nevermind endures another zany episode, this time pitting an 11-year-old's epic survivalist skills against an extremely large rooster.
Chronically overprepared Barker Mifflin has just started his second year of picking strawberries at McFadden Farm, receiving one essentially worthless McToken for each flat delivered. His stellar performance and survivalist know-how bring him to the attention of Megan McFadden, the farm owners' 11-year-old daughter, who offers him a spot as a row commander and enlists his help solving an unusual problem. Her mother has mysteriously shrunk down to the size of a doll--apparently the work of Megan's father, Maverick, a scientist who used to work at Colossal Chemistry. And before long, Barker crosses paths with the enormous chicken. It'll take all his talents and maybe a little luck to avoid complete disaster while getting to the bottom of things. Though occasionally meandering, this second series installment is chock-full of wild antics, wacky wordplay, just enough scares to create suspense, and a generous sprinkling of Barker's always entertaining, sometimes useful Survival Nuggets. Familiarity with the first entry in the series is recommended, though Carman has made a strong effort to keep this story accessible to newcomers. Characters' descriptions are minimal.
A wonderfully weird, madcap tale with just a tiny bit of terror. (Fiction. 8-12)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Carman, Patrick: ATTACK OF THE FORTY-FOOT CHICKEN." Kirkus Reviews, 15 May 2024, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A793537222/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=15d25628. Accessed 29 Oct. 2024.
QUOTED: "Readers will find Jenny's story irresistibly compelling despite ... the inventively grotesque depictions of the Snerb."
"Charmingly absurd and hilariously icky."
Carman, Patrick THE TERROR IN JENNY'S ARMPIT Blackstone (Children's None) $16.99 3, 5 ISBN: 9798212538374
A girl and her friends scramble to find a solution to a peculiar ailment.
Jenny Kim tends to leap before she looks, and it doesn't usually end well. This time she's really done it, though. When she and her equally adventurous classmates Fen Stenson and Barker Mifflin break into the abandoned Colossal Chemistry building, Jenny disturbs a fuzzy orange marble. Soon her armpit sprouts a bizarre, rapidly growing, one-eyed creation that's nearly impossible to hide from everyone, including Jenny's parents and the class bully. Papers that Fen stole from the Colossal Chemistry office reveal some important information: The thing is called a Snerb, it was created to fight pollution, and in order to remove it, they must locate its creator, Dr. Vernsy Von Vexler. Oh, and they need to move quickly, because the Snerb is voraciously hungry, and removing it will put the entire town of Nevermind at risk. Wacky humor and a breakneck pace make this tale perfect for middle graders. Readers will find Jenny's story irresistibly compelling despite--or perhaps because of--the inventively grotesque depictions of the Snerb. The epilogue ties into the events of the next volume and promises more wild adventures. Characters' descriptions are minimal, though Barker is depicted with brown skin in chapter heading illustrations, and artwork and the last name Kim suggest that Jenny has Asian ancestry.
Charmingly absurd and hilariously icky. (Fiction. 8-12)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Carman, Patrick: THE TERROR IN JENNY'S ARMPIT." Kirkus Reviews, 1 July 2024, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A799332841/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=ebc1e392. Accessed 29 Oct. 2024.
QUOTED: "ridiculous and hilarious."
Carman, Patrick ESCAPE FROM THE DUNGEONS OF SNERBVILLE Blackstone (Children's None) $16.99 9, 24 ISBN: 9798212538398
A boy who is prepared for anything, a doll-size girl, and a scientist save the world from an experiment gone wrong.
After a thorough-enough recap for brand-new series readers, the 40-foot chicken that Barker McMifflin rode into a giant hole in the ground leads him to another encounter with the disgustingly troublesome creatures from Jenny's armpit known as Snerbs. Still determined to get to the bottom of the strangeness clearly connected to the scientific research facility in their town, Barker takes off into Snerbville, an underground network of tunnels full of secrets and hungry Snerbs. Lucky for him, nine-inch-tall Tilda Huxley, daughter of the founder of Colossal Chemistry, is right behind him, her quest to un-shrink herself having turned into a rescue mission. Unfortunately for them all, blundering scientist Maverick McFadden's ineptitude has allowed the Snerbs to run rampant, and the kids, along with Dr. Vernsy von Vexler, must save the earth from being consumed entirely. Some readers may find the shifting perspectives among series hero Barker, Tilda, and Dr. Vexler challenging, though chapter titles add context to assist in determining narrator shifts. There is no shortage of witty repartee or inventive descriptions; it's perhaps the silliest and most entertaining series entry yet. Illustrations show Barker with brown skin, while Tilda describes herself as a "mix of [B]lack, brown, and white," and Dr. Vexler presents as white.
Ridiculous and hilarious.(Paranormal. 8-12)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Carman, Patrick: ESCAPE FROM THE DUNGEONS OF SNERBVILLE." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Sept. 2024, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A808342942/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=44c86780. Accessed 29 Oct. 2024.