Author: Jessica Day George
Hardcover: 240 pages (also available in e-books)
Age: Ages 8 and up
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens (October 25, 2011)
Synposis:
From the Inside Cover:
Tuesday at Castle Glower is Princess Celie’s favorite day. That’s when the Castle magically grows a new room, a turret, or sometimes and entire wing. No one knows exactly how or why the Castle does it, and no one except Princess Celie has ever bothered to map out the Castle’s many twists and turns.
But when the king and queen disappear and Councilers from neighboring kingdoms arrive to “advise” the three Glower children, even the Castle seems to know that something is wrong…Take the new tower room, which is stocked with mysterious objects and has a knack for appearing just when Celie needs it. Then there is the secret passageway that leads the children to a room the Councilors don’t want them to know about.
Review:
In my experience there are two types of little girls, those enamored with pink, crowns, fluffy skirts, and princess life — and those who are not. Tuesdays at the Castle manages to appeal to both types of girls. Celie is indeed a princess, there are fancy dresses, crowns, a castle but she is also an adventurer, sliding down hidden passageways, hiding chamber pots, eavesdropping on evil neighbors.
The book started out a little slow (a comment from my daughter who definitely falls into the adventurer category) but once all the players are in place things really begin to heat up as the children stop wringing their hands and start DOING.
The imagery in the book was marvelous. I really wanted to visit Castle Glower! Author Jessica Day George also provides an intriguing puzzle. Not only must the children find their parents and stop the bad guys but they have to figure out just who the bad guys are…not everyone is as they appear. I’m hoping for another Castle Glower adventure!