Tuesdays at the Castle

Jessica Day George is my favorite author that re-writes fairy tales. This book was no exception. Just imagine a castle that changes, adds rooms and towers, lengthens hallways, sometimes even adding entire wings. That's what Castle Glower does, mostly on Tuesdays when it gets bored listening to the goings on in King Glower's throne room. Princess Celie, the youngest daughter of King Glower is constantly trying to map the castle, including all of it's changes, she's the first to ever really try to do so. Her older brother Bran is graduating from the magician's college and her parents are going to his graduation and will be gone for several weeks, Celie would love to go, but her father has firmly told her no. So she has to be content to stay home and sketch her map. One day, while staying in the new tower the castle has provided, complete with telescopes that can see a very long ways away, Celie notices her parent's carriage coming much faster than it should have been. When the carriage arrives, it's all shot up with arrows and only one guard stumbles out saying that they had been attacked and the king and queen and Bran are dead. Celie and her siblings must rely on the castle to get through this dark and scary time for them, and the castle will not let them down. I LOVED this book, it was such a fun premise, a castle that basically sensed needs and tried to fill them. The characters were likable and the story was definitely fun. I can't wait to hear what our 11 year old says about it!