Haunted Castle on Hallow's Eve (Magic Tree House, 30)

Amazon.com

In the second of the "Merlin Missions"--hardback additions to Mary Pope Osborne's Magic Tree House series--plucky heroes Jack and Annie must once again must travel back in time to rescue Camelot from looming danger.

One wonders why Merlin can't handle this sort of thing himself, but then of course we wouldn't get a chance to see Jack and Annie have another seat-of-the-pants adventure, getting mixed up with shape-shifting magic, armies of birds, a puzzling gem of power, and all sorts of other trouble. With the help of their old pal Teddy (Morgan le Fay's apprentice, last seen in dog form in four earlier Tree House stories), the two "Master Librarians and Magicians of Everyday Magic" must solve the mystery behind a castle full of ghosts and a menacing army of ravens. Not surprisingly, half the trouble comes in unraveling Merlin's riddles and helping Teddy use his rhyming magic correctly.

Osborne doesn't challenge readers overmuch (including the constant restatement of plot elements, perhaps worried that kids might otherwise forget or lose interest) and many parts of the story barely convince (like Teddy's "period" dialogue, e.g., "'Tis cool indeed"), but fans of the Magic Tree House will no doubt love another installment. (Ages 6 to 9) --Paul Hughes

Book Description

The intrepid Jack and Annie are summoned once again to the fantasy realm of Camelot. There, Merlin the Magician tells them that the Stone of Destiny has been stolen. The answer to its disappearance lies within a haunted castle. With a young magician named Teddy, Jack and Annie take on the challenge in an adventure that takes them to new heights and places they couldn’t even imagine!
a Stepping Stone Book™

Customer Reviews:

Magic Treehouse Haunted Castle.......2007-10-16

We really enjoy this series- we read to our 5 & 3 year old boys
each night...just two or three chapters. They love the MT stories.
Easy reading.

Another great book.......2007-02-09

Mary Pope Osborne has done it again with this book. A great book for children.

haunted magic.......2007-01-22

I love the magic tree house series!!! I greatly enjoy reading these with my daughter!!!! Keep bringing them on.............mommytess

Haunted Castle on Halllows Eve.......2007-01-16

Book review of
Haunted Castle on Hallows Eve

If you like magical places this is the book for you. The ages are 7-11. Jack, and Annie, and teddy have to finish a mission. That they were assigned by sorcer. They have to restore a castles order.
Jack, Annie, and Teddy have to restore a castle to normal. Jack is the leader. Annie helps and takes to animals. Teddy is a young sorcer. Teddy has rims to make the magic work.
Jack, Annie, and Teddy have to work together to save the castle. Teddy comes up with a plan to get the diamond. Jack found the diamond right away and flew to the castle. They help each other to protect the diamond. These three have to work together to over come obstacle.
The story takes place in a castle, tree house, and a nest. The castle is hunted. The tree house is failed with books. It can also transport you almost any ware. The nest is failed with jewelry and rare items.
Jack and Annie have to get back. Sometimes supped up on the ledge. It was the raven king. He had Teddy in a bird cage. You will have to read it to find the rest out.

READ THIS BOOK PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.......2006-11-07

If you like adventure books, than read this book. This book is about three kids who go to a castle and try to help a family, while trying not to be too scared. This is a really good book for anyone to curl up and read. It also has easy text for young readers to read and understand. Maybe you will like this book if you read it too.

History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Average customer rating:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers
Pants on fire?
Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed.
Very Interesting
History as Science Fiction

History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Anatoly Fomenko
Manufacturer: Mithec
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 2913621058

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Average customer rating:

if you loved the moved you'll love the book even more!
One of my favorites
Inspiring
Oh, wow...
almost the same...

Howl's Moving Castle
Diana Wynne Jones
Manufacturer: Eos
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 006441034X
Release Date: 2001-08-07

Book Description

In the land of Ingary, such things as spells, invisible cloaks, and seven-league boots were everyday things. The Witch of the Waste was another matter.

After fifty years of quiet, it was rumored that the Witch was about to terrorize the country again. So when a moving black castle, blowing dark smoke from its four thin turrets, appeared on the horizon, everyone thought it was the Witch. The castle, however, belonged to Wizard Howl, who, it was said, liked to suck the souls of young girls.

The Hatter sisters--Sophie, Lettie, and Martha--and all the other girls were warned not to venture into the streets alone. But that was only the beginning.

In this giant jigsaw puzzle of a fantasy, people and things are never quite what they seem. Destinies are intertwined, identities exchanged, lovers confused. The Witch has placed a spell on Howl. Does the clue to breaking it lie in a famous poem? And what will happen to Sophie Hatter when she enters Howl's castle?

Diana Wynne Jones's entrancing fantasy is filled with surprises at every turn, but when the final stormy duel between the Witch and the Wizard is finished, all the pieces fall magically into place.

Customer Reviews:

if you loved the moved you'll love the book even more!.......2007-10-17

I absolutely loved the movie and when i saw in the credits that it was based on this novel i immediately bought this book. I was so happy to find that this book had more story lines than the movie.

I loved that the movie had changed some small elements and i loved that story. But the book had so much more that made the story much richer and helped me to understand some of the holes in the movie plot.

As far as the story itself, i fell that this is a good alternative to the Harry Potter set of adolescent readers. It has a good moral and there aren't any super scary parts. I especially loved the relationship between Howl and Sophie. Enjoy!

One of my favorites.......2007-10-13

What a great book. I couldn't put it down. The movie follows it fairly close. It is funny, sad, happy, and has a happy ending for everyone. I just loved it.

Inspiring.......2007-09-29

Diana Wynne Jones is an amazing story teller. You will absolutely fall in love with her characters in this wonderful world of magic and wizards. If you saw Hayao Miyazaki's animated interpertation of this story, you will love the book just as much. Possibly more!

Oh, wow..........2007-09-17

I saw the movie and adored it. But then I read the book and realized just how much the movie left out....nuances, complexities of characters and emotion. The book is truly wondrous and tickles the imagination in ways you wouldn't believe. Not to be missed, especially if you enjoyed the movie. For all ages.

almost the same..........2007-09-16

I watched the movie first and was later prompted to read the novel since the movie had unanswered questions here and there. To my surprise, there are a lot of parts in the book that were not in the movie. The book did not mention a war and Sophie was more bitter. However, it did clear up any misunderstandinds from the movie which is why I bought the book in the first place.

Average customer rating:

NOT her best
Not one of DWJ's best
Fascinating Fantasy for young readers
Great story.
Too short

The Game (Firebird)
Diana Wynne Jones
Manufacturer: Puffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0142407186
Release Date: 2007-03-01

Book Description

Hayley's parents disappeared when she was a baby. Since then, she has been raised and homeschooled by her grandparents. Grandad is overworked and travels a lot; Grandma is much too strict and never lets her meet any children her own age. When Hayley does something wrong—she is not quite sure what—they pack her off to her aunts in Ireland. To Hayley's shock, her family is much bigger than she thought; to her delight, the children all play what they call “the game,” where they visit a place called “the mythosphere.” And while she plays the game, Hayley learns more about her own place in the world than she had ever expected. This original novella by Diana Wynne Jones is sharply funny, fast-paced, and surprising until its very end—like all of this acclaimed author's work.

Customer Reviews:

NOT her best.......2007-08-13

Diana Wynne Jones is one of my favorite authors (Howl's Moving Castle is my personal favorite) but this book seemed like an idea for a story. The characters, while well researched, were not developed at all. I couldn't connect with any of them, not even the main character. Jones came up with some interesting ideas like the mythosphere, but that's all they were- ideas. After I finished the last page, I felt like I had missed a chapter somewhere. Over all, I was rather disappointed.

Not one of DWJ's best.......2007-07-20

I am a fan of Diana Wynne Jones, so when I saw that she'd written a new novel, I was excited. Unfortunately, this book fell far short of my expectations.

I think one of the main problems was that I couldn't identify with the character. We're not told very much about Hayley (presumably because Jones was trying to keep the true identities of the characters a secret until later in the book). I couldn't figure out how old she was, or anything about her that really mattered. I assumed, though, that she was about 10. The problem with that assumption, however, was that she then went and followed strange adult men into bushes, without really questioning the situation or her own safety. A similar theme appeared in "Fire and Hemlock", but that was written decades ago when child predators weren't as much in the news as they are today (and the main character in that novel eventually grew up, rendering her friendship with a man twice her age somewhat more acceptable).

I do appreciate Jones's creation of the "mythosphere", and I thought it was an interesting idea. However, I would have liked to see more of it. So many books for children today seem to suffer from a lack of editing. If anything, this book seemed to suffer from over-editing! It seemed as if large chunks were missing. Certain things were badly or barely explained. How could a wedding photograph of Hayley's parents even exist if they were as old as they were supposed to be? Why did Hayley have no memories of the world changing around her? Surely she would have noticed that computers, cars, and airplanes were relatively new inventions. How did she pin Jupiter to the sky when the planet was already there?

There also didn't seem to be much peril. Aside from the rather gory scene with the Maenads, the characters didn't seem to be in much mortal danger. And how could they be? Half of them were immortal!

Jones has been through this territory before in "Eight Days of Luke" (though with Norse mythology, while "The Game" is Greek mythology). However, there seems to be an awful lot of metaphor and symbolism here for kids to absorb. And while I enjoyed the unique "mythosphere" aspect, I really wanted to see all parts of the story more fleshed out.

Fascinating Fantasy for young readers.......2007-06-05

It is hard to imagine a more creative or prolific author of young adult books. Diane Wynne Jones is the author of the Dalemark Quartet, The Chrestomanci Books, and about 40 others. This novella--longer than a short story, shorter than a novel--is part of Penguin's Firebird series.

Orphaned Hayley is thrust from the only home she knew, living with her grandparents on the outskirts of London. She is thrown into a maelstrom of activity with aunts and cousins she never knew she had in a large castle in Ireland. Her life in London was very lonely, with her only companions various maids and servants. Her strict grandmother thrust her out when she became angry with Hayley's "imagination," calling cousin Mercer to come and take her away.

Hayley discovers her many cousins also have vivid imaginations, and play a game where they travel the strands of the mythosphere on various quests. Hayley had first seen the mythosphere in her kindly but distracted grandfather's study. She accidentally runs into her father on one of her quests, in addition to Flute and Fiddle, two street musician acquaintances from her lonely London days. The villain of the story is angry Uncle Jolyon, wealthy and powerful, and responsible for making Hayley an orphan, due to a prophecy.

Will Uncle Jolyon track down the errant Hayley? Will Troy and Harmony, two cousins who try to save her, succeed? And who on earth are Flute and Fiddle?

Armchair Interviews says: This fascinating fantasy will engage young readers immediately with its vivid images and appealing heroine.

Great story........2007-05-15

I have come to expect excellence from Jones, and this work is no exception. It is tightly written, exciting, and fun. I think it might help a little if one had, as I did, a classical education, since the story assumes certain characters from ancient mythology, but it probably would still be enjoyed by teens of today just as well as other adults.

Too short.......2007-04-19

I liked this story, but it wasn't among my favorite Diana Wynne Jones books. I think that's because it was so short - a lot of things are left pretty vague, and while the concept is imaginative and creative with the best of them, I wished that there was more detail, to make this world more real. I guess I would call this story more "clever" than "immersive," if that makes sense. So, 4 stars for an interesting story, anyway :)

Average customer rating:

Buy My Book I''ll Give You A Look!
The Castle in the Attic
the cool book
A Girl in 6th Grade
The Castle in the Attic

The Castle in the Attic
Elizabeth Winthrop
Manufacturer: Yearling
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0440409411
Release Date: 1994-11-01

Book Description

William has just received the best present of his life. It's an old, real-looking stone and wooden model of a castle, with a drawbridge, moat, and a finger-high knight to guard the gates. It's the mysterious castle his housekeeper has told him about, and even though William is sad she's leaving, now the castle is his!

William can't wait to play with it--he's certain there's something magical about the castle. And sure enough, when he picks up the tiny silver knight, it comes alive in his hand!

Sir Simon tells William a mighty story of wild sorcery, wizards, and magic. And suddenly William is off on a fantastic quest to another land and another time--where a fiery dragon and an evil wizard are waiting to do battle . . . .

Customer Reviews:

Buy My Book I''ll Give You A Look!.......2007-06-15

The Castle In The Attic by Elizabeth Winthrop

I like the book The Castle In The Attic because its about magic and its fiction. I think you will like this book because its about a boy who gets a castle. And the boy gets a small knight, and the knight is alive and makes the boy small with a magical token.The knight has to reclaim his castle and defeat a wizard called Alastor.The magic parts are cooler than I thought. Its the 3rd best book I've ever read.

by DHRUMIL PATEL

The Castle in the Attic.......2007-03-21

The castle in the attic is about a kid named willim and he gets a goodbye present from his nusrse lady. the goodbye present is a castle with a knight made of lead. When william touches the knight it comes to life and is no longer made of lead. The knight had been a real man that had been shrunk with a special stone. William didnt want his nurse lady to go away so he had the knight shrink her with the stone. After william felt bad about what he had done and wanted to make her her real size again. So the only way to get the resizing stone and the only way to get it was to go bach in time and defeat the alasator. To go back in time he needed two boys and a girl to go back. He the knight and the nurse lady where the people. William and the knight went and defeated the alasator got the resizing stone and the knight took over the castle then william went back and got himself and the nurse lady big again.
i liked the story but it took along time to build up to the climax then the climax was short

the cool book.......2007-03-09

Castle in the attic
I like the dragon, the knight, and the magic....But I do not like the wizard. You should read this book because it is really, really that good. I like the beginning don't like the middle but I like the end.

A Girl in 6th Grade.......2007-01-04

I love this book! I would read it over and over again. It's a great adventure book adout friendship and perseverance. I would recommened this book to people who enjoy reading about magic, wizards, and castles.

The Castle in the Attic.......2006-11-18

i read the castle in the attic and i thoght it wasn't very entrtaning. but that's just my opinion. i thought on some of the chapters it dragged on and lost me alot. like it would talk about one thing and then another without alot of detail. for my opinion, it was an ok book. it had it's moments like whats going to happen next then it was really boring.

Emily Windsnap and the Castle in the Mist (Emily Windsnap)

Average customer rating:

great book
Wonderful Mermaid Fantasy
A great book, one that can be enjoyed on land or at sea
Emily Windsnap and the Castle in the Mist

Emily Windsnap and the Castle in the Mist (Emily Windsnap)
Liz Kessler
Manufacturer: Candlewick
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0763633305
Release Date: 2007-04-10

Book Description

Dive in! The latest fin-tastic tale about a feisty half-mermaid introduces a mysterious boy who shares her fate.

When Emily Windsnap discovers an old diamond ring during a class hunt for trinkets, how is she supposed to know that the ring is half the key to unlocking an ancient curse by Neptune himself? Now, with the ring stuck firmly on her hand, Emily finds herself under a new curse: in just a few days, she’ll cease to be half-human and half-mermaid and must say good-bye to one parent forever. Can she possibly find the other missing ring that will break all the curses? Is there anyone who can help her — before it’s too late?

Customer Reviews:

great book.......2007-09-27

My grand daughter was so excited when she opened this gift from me that I knew I had done well(kids don't always get too excited when thye open gifts that are books these days). She had read the previous Emily Windsnap books so I thought that she may want to read it. If your girl is into mermaids she will like these books.

Wonderful Mermaid Fantasy.......2007-07-14

My daughter loved this whole series! She is 9 and really loves mermaids. This was perfect for her.

A great book, one that can be enjoyed on land or at sea.......2007-06-05

EMILY WINDSNAP AND THE CASTLE IN THE MIST is the third installment in Liz Kessler's continuing saga of Emily and her friends and family in their half-ocean, half-earthly community.

Emily is a perky kid who enjoys being a mermaid, although her mother seems to be having a difficult time reconciling the fact that Emily's more academic studies have been put aside for her mermaid studies --- oceanography and underwater hairstyling. The ever-widening chasm between the lives she shares with each of her parents starts to cause a rift between them, and Emily fears they will break up.

But then King Neptune, still angered from the loss of his only intermarriage with a human, learns that Emily has uncovered the diamond ring he gave to his beloved so long ago --- which he had hoped would never surface again. As a result, he decides to ban intermarriage between merpeople and humans and curses the offspring of such unions. Emily is forced to become either fully human or a complete sea creature, thus ensuring that one of her parents would be lost to her forever. Can Emily possibly locate the other missing ring that will break all the curses? Is there anyone who can help her save the day before it's too late?

This is a complex story with deepening questions about love and its meanings, anger and its consequences, redemption and hope for the future --- all good things couched in a lushly detailed story about underwater life that should capture the attention and hearts of girls who love adventurous, romantic tales encased in charming fantasy elements.

EMILY WINDSNAP AND THE CASTLE IN THE MIST is a great book, one that can be enjoyed on land or at sea and certainly raises the bar on mermaid stories for young girls.

--- Reviewed by Jana Siciliano

Emily Windsnap and the Castle in the Mist.......2007-05-14

This was the only place I could find the final book in a series my Daughter was reading. She was very happy with the story line, The book was in perfect condition and we are looking very much forward to the next book from this author.

Average customer rating:

castle in the air
Sequel Success
Not quite as strong as Howl's Moving Castle but a worthy sequel!
A perfectly delightful "sequel" to Howl's
Half sequel, half spin-off

Castle in the Air
Diana Wynne Jones
Manufacturer: Eos
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0064473457
Release Date: 2001-08-07

Book Description

Abdullah was a young and not very prosperous carpet dealer. His father, who had been disappointed in him, had left him only enough money to open a modest booth in the Bazaar. When he was not selling carpets, Abdullah spent his time daydreaming. In his dreams he was not the son of his father, but the long-lost son of a prince. There was also a princess who had been betrothed to him at birth. He was content with his life and his daydreams until, one day, a stranger sold him a magic carpet.

In this stunning sequel to Howl's Moving Castle, Diana Wynne Jones has again created a large-scale, fast-paced fantasy in which people and things are never quite what they seem. There are good and bad djinns, a genie in a bottle, wizards, witches, cats and dogs (but are they cats and dogs?), and a mysterious floating castle filled with kidnapped princesses, as well as two puzzling prophecies. The story speeds along with tantalizing twists and turns until the prophecies are fulfilled, true identities are revealed, and all is resolved in a totally satisfying, breathtaking, surprise-filled ending.

Customer Reviews:

castle in the air.......2007-10-18

i absolutely adored howl's moving castle (the book NOT the movie), so, naturally, when i heard there was a sequel i was extremely happy. i thought castle in the air was a nice story and i probably would've enjoyed it more if i hadn't read howl's moving castle, but it was frustrating. there wasn't enough of sophie and howl in the story and i loved their characters so much. howl's only in the story for a few pages. i wished there had been more about their lives. most of the previous characters don't pop up at all. castle in the air is a charming story, but if you want more sophie and howl reread howl's moving castle.

Sequel Success.......2007-09-29

The sequel to Howl's Moving Castle, takes you to another part of the world. South of Ingary is the country known as Zanzib where a humble carpet merchant name Abdullah daydreams of amazing gardens and a beautiful princess. When the purchase of a flying carpet makes his dreams come true, Abdullah finds himself far above the safety of Earth in a castle in the sky, to steal back his beloved from a frightening djinn!
Miss Jones also brings back a few characters from her previous story to help the new characters in their journey. Highly recommended!

Not quite as strong as Howl's Moving Castle but a worthy sequel!.......2007-08-07

Shortly in to reading The Castle in the Air you will see that it has taken a few pages from One Thousand and One Nights, also know as One Thousand and One Arabian Nights. Who is this guy? Aladdin? No, but interestingly similar!

We are introduced to a cast of new characters in a country quite distant from the home of Howl and Sophie. However, the new cast is charming and easy to like and the familiarity of the story is quite enjoyable, especially when Jones throws in a few twists and the tale we thought we could predict spins out of control.

And what of Howl and Sophie? I'm sure potential readers are dieing to know. Yes, they're still here and show up in some unexpected places. Wizard Suliman and Lette show up and work some interesting magic as well!

The ending feels a little rushed, not unlike Howl's Moving Castle. The details are also more loose in this book and it lacks some of the complicated pieces that made Howl's Moving Castle so wonderful. But the story was wonderful and whimsical and a very enjoyable read. If you enjoyed the first book you will also fall for the sequel.

A perfectly delightful "sequel" to Howl's.......2007-03-21

Don't you just love it when you start reading a book and can't put it down? The pages fly by as you get sucked into it. Happens to me whenever I pick up one of Jones' books. I've never read any fantasy that is so deliciously clever and truly imaginative, really full of surprises and twists and turns in every chapter. This book is the "sequel" to the beloved Howl's Moving Castle, but with all the characters' identities hidden. More than that, it plays as a nice opposite to the themes of the first. While HMC dealt with Sophie gaining an attitude and strength of will, the male hero here (Abdullah) is mostly successful because he doesn't have an attitude; instead he is overly polite and complimentary. Abdullah is a carpet salesman who spends his days imagining a more exciting life of riches and a beautiful princess (get the title?). One day, his dreams start to become true with the purchase of a magic flying carpet and meeting the princess of his dreams, who is then stolen from him. Abdullah has to chase down the djinn who--by order of his evil, but not very smart brother--has stolen her and all the princesses of the world. Abdullah is "joined" by an irritable genie who curses all his wishes, a cat-obsessed wily old soldier, and a magical black cat and her kitten. Just a great, wonderfully told, absolutely clever and unpredictable fairy tale. Grade: A+

Half sequel, half spin-off.......2007-02-09

Castle in the Air is the story of Abdullah, a well off carpet dealer who loves to dream about better times, who ends up getting a flying carpet. The flying carpet gives him the girl of his dreams, which gets him into trouble, which he escapes from. But by escaping one danger he jumps into another greater one. And so on.
The book is a sequel in that Howl and the rest of the characters from Howl's Moving Castle do show up. In fact they are in the background, sometimes right in front of us, part of the cause and effect of much of the story. But the focus is kept on Abdullah, Flower-in-the-Night and main characters of this story.
One of the major points of Howl's Moving Castle was the great interaction between the characters which seemed to me to be missing in this book. Maybe because everybody is always on the move or what little interaction there was seemed weak.

Charlie Bone and The Castle Of Mirrors (Children of the Red King Book 4)

Average customer rating:

A Very Satisfying Book!
The Balance Must Be Kept!
awsome book
Enjoyable But Flawed
A great read

Charlie Bone and The Castle Of Mirrors (Children of the Red King Book 4)
Jenny Nimmo
Manufacturer: Orchard Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0439545285

Book Description

Back in Bloor's Academy, Charlie's power takes on a new dimension. He meets a new gallery of characters, including Mr. Pilgrim's replacement, Tantalus Ebony, and the mysterious new student Joshua Tilpin, who appears to be magnetic. But not all is well. Billy has been adopted by the O'Gres, a child-hating couple, who carry with them a gray bag of oaths wherever they go, seducing Billy to sign an oath of obedience, before locking him up behind a force field in an odd place called The Passing House.

Customer Reviews:

A Very Satisfying Book!.......2007-06-24

This book was very good and I enjoyed it quite a bit! Charlie Bone is a likeable character with many great friends who help him in his quests to set things right. This book was very exciting and I would recommend it to readers ages nine and older.

The Balance Must Be Kept!.......2007-05-11

Charlie Bone, whose life has NEVER been easy, gets slammed with a whole new problem in CASTLE OF MIRRORS. Old Ezekial Bloor and Charlie's aunts, the Yewbeam sisters, have managed to resurrect a ghostly horse creature that they believe has the heart of an old, fierce warrior named Borlath. They indend to use the creature against Charlie and his other endowed friends at Bloor's Academy. However, something has gone drastically wrong.

Just as with the previous Charlie Bone books, author Jenny Nimmo keeps a lot of balls in the air. A lot of possibilities and threats dangle in front of the reader as they cruise through this tale. It seems as though disaster and defeat lurk around every corner.

Charlie is still looking for his father Lyle, whom everyone believe is dead but Charlie is certain is still alive. Poor Billy Raven still hasn't been adopted, but he gets adopted in this one--by the most evil people in the world.

More of the Yewbeam family lineage is discovered, as well as what happened to many of the Red King's children. The things that bind Charlie and his friends, family ties as well as personal stakes, grow even stronger in this novel.

I read these books to my nine-year-old, who enjoys them immensely and takes the tests on the Accelerated Reader program at his school. I enjoy how easy they are to read aloud, and the degree of history that Nimmo has put in each of her novels, building on what has gone on before. The plots do tend to be somewhat repetitive, but they are Charlie Bone books. They tell a certain kind of story with certain elements that the young readers require.

The Charlie Bone books are great escapist fiction for the Harry Potter crowd while they're waiting on the final book in that series. And Charlie Bone hasn't quite progressed to the level of darkness that the Potter books have. Charlie Bone still guarantees excitement AND laughs.

awsome book.......2007-05-06

this book is a pretty awsome book and i enjoyed it more then any of my other books (except my harry potter books)but this book is still pretty good.

Enjoyable But Flawed.......2007-01-15

Charlie Bone is worried about his friend, Billy Raven. Billy, an albino and an orphan, has longed for a family of his own and it seems like his wish has come true when Mr. and Mrs. de Grey agree to adopt him. Charlie is happy for Billy, but the de Grey's are friends of the Bloor family and Charlie doesn't trust them. Charlie is right to be worried - the de Grey's have powers that literally won't let Billy leave the house unless he is going to school. Charlie, his Uncle Paton, and his friends all try to find a way to get Billy out of the de Grey's house and to a place where he'll be safe. Charlie also wonders what is going on at his school Bloor's Academy. Piano teacher Mr. Pilgrim is gone and his replacement, Tantalus Ebony, is a bit odd. Charlie also wonders what's up with a new student, Joshua Tilpin, who seems to be magnetic. Charlie also wonders why his friend Olivia is acting so strange. On top of it all, Charlie keeps searching for his missing father.

"Charlie Bone and the Castle of Mirrors" certainly has its good points. For one thing, some of the children grow as characters, especially Billy and Olivia. Author Jenny Nimmo also shows some increasing aspects of Charlie's ability to read the thoughts of people in photographs and pictures. There's a nice sense of humor throughout the book, with some punny word play and an especially funny scene at the Pet's Café. The fantasy elements are nicely done, especially the introduction of Alice Angel, and a wonderfully imaginative scene involving written oaths coming alive and attacking Charlie and his friends. The "flames" as always, add much to the fantasy elements.

However, the book has its flaws. While some characters are well developed, other characters aren't developed at all. Once again Nimmo awkwardly gets rid of characters without any real explanation as to why they are gone. New characters that are added are underdeveloped, especially Joshua Tilpin and Tantalus Ebony. With the exception of Uncle Paton, most of the "good" adults are once again useless, especially Charlie's mother, Amy. Charlie's life at school is not particularly well-written - it's not clear what classes he takes and what classes many of the teachers actually teach. One plotline - losing balance - was very interesting, but felt thrown in at the last moment and could have been much more developed. The ongoing plot line of Charlie looking for his father could have been plotted and written better since it's obvious who his father really is.

The Children of the Red King series is a quick, at times enjoyable read, but continues to be somewhat frustrating.

A great read.......2006-12-30

This was another installment of the Charlie Bone books and was as good as the others. Poor Billy Raven finally gets parents and they turn out to be horrible...as we knew they would. More of the history of the Red King is brought out in this book and some of the main characters are further developed. Charlie is a likeable character and it is easy to empathize with him, especially as he is so determined to find his lost father. The books are well constructed and enjoyable to read.

Knights And Castles (Magic Tree House Research Guide, paper)

Average customer rating:

Wonderful book for kids of all ages
Terrific Reference for Middle Ages * Art * Theme!
Knights and Castles
Great for fans of the magic tree house!

Knights And Castles (Magic Tree House Research Guide, paper)
Will And Ma Osborne
Manufacturer: Random House Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0375802975
Release Date: 2000-08-01

Book Description

What was it like to wear armor? What was the food like in castles? This book explores what life was really like in medieval times.

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful book for kids of all ages.......2000-12-26

This is a wonderful book for kids of all ages. The reference works in back to museums, internet sites and other books is well done. I recommend this book for any one who has children interested in Knights and Castles!

Terrific Reference for Middle Ages * Art * Theme!.......2000-10-13

I'm an artist and art teacher, and after discovering this book, I ordered copies for my middle school ART students! While it's an easy read for students of this age (5th through 7th grade), it's packed with understandable text and pictures. It's a great reference for the various art projects that my students are doing as part of our study of the Middle Ages, and the kids have really enjoyed it....

Knights and Castles.......2000-08-14

Mary Pope Osborne does it again!

Our Family loves the Magic Tree House series. They hit us on many levels. Our youngest loves to be read to, our next just hit chapter books, our oldest is beyond this intro. level chapter books - but loves this series & reads the books over and over.

I am delighted to introduce reasearch ideas in such a non-threatening, inviting manner to my children. Learning and reading is so fun; and this concept sheds new light for a young audience. Not only will this help after reading the MTH series, it will add a new dimension when going on field trips, museums, the library, the internet, etc. I am going to share this book with our elementary school.

Ms. Osborne and her husband take the opportunity to be thorough, while simplifying for young minds - and the illustrations keep a young reader's attention.

Bravo! Keep 'em coming.

Great for fans of the magic tree house!.......2000-08-11

My 4-year-old son and I have been reading the Magic Tree House series for nearly half his life; they are among his favorite books (in fact, when given an opportunity at a book sale at day camp this summer, he opted to buy the next book in the series rather than the Pokemon cards that all his friends were buying!). When I showed him the Knights and Castles Research Guide, he was thrilled! We started reading it right away, and he found it fascinating. Especially appealing are the illustrations, much more numerous and detailed than those in the regular series. My only (very minor) disappointment is that it would have been even more wonderful if these books in this Research Guide series had been presented as if they were the actual books that Jack and Annie found in the treehouse (complete with the quotations that appear in the Tree House books), rather than ones they put together from "research" after their visits.

The Castle of Llyr (The Chronicles of Prydain)

Average customer rating:

Not Free SF Reader
Chronicles of Prydain
Good book, good principles
Great Kid's Book
great, but The book of Three(also by Lloyd Alexander)was better

The Castle of Llyr (The Chronicles of Prydain)
Lloyd Alexander
Manufacturer: Henry Holt and Co. BYR Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0805080503
Release Date: 2006-05-16

Book Description

The Newbery-winning fantasy series now available in gorgeous new paperback editions! Since The Book of Three was first published in 1964, young readers have been enthralled by the adventures of Taran the Assistant Pig-Keeper and his quest to become a hero. Taran is joined by an engaging cast of characters that includes Eilonwy, the strong-willed and sharp-tongued princess; Fflewddur Fflam, the hyperbole-prone bard; the ever-faithful Gurgi; and the curmudgeonly Doli-all of whom have become involved in an epic struggle between good and evil that shapes the fate of the legendary land of Prydain. Released over a period of five years, Lloyd Alexander's beautifully written tales not only captured children's imaginations but also garnered the highest critical praise. The Black Cauldron was a Newbery Honor Book, and the final volume in the chronicles, The High King, crowned the series by winning the Newbery Medal for "the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children."Henry Holt is proud to present this classic series in a new, redesigned paperback format. The jackets feature stunning art by acclaimed fantasy artist David Wyatt, giving the books a fresh look for today's generation of young fantasy lovers. The companion book of short stories, The Foundling is also available in paperback at this time. In their more than thirty years in print, the Chronicles of Prydain have become the standard of excellence in fantasy literature for children.

Customer Reviews:

Not Free SF Reader.......2007-09-03

The princess needs a bit of deportment apparently.

When you decide you need to work on the aristocratic side of a girl, of course you would send her off with a pig keeper and a beast man, wouldn't you?

Because of this, and a bit of a princess triangle, they all end up in a Land of the Giants type scenario, or at least in part.

Here, along with a bit of magic, is a fantasy book where a crow actually comes in useful as a good thing.

Chronicles of Prydain.......2006-11-06

This is a great series. One of my favorites and my husband's favorites.

Good book, good principles.......2006-05-05

All of Alexander's main characters are back in this book (besides Doli I think), and once again Alexander does a wonderful job of portraying the battle of good vs. evil in the fun garb of a fictional adventure. This book highlights self-sacrafice, as Taran has to choose whether or not to help the man competing for the same things that he wants. It also highlights the immorality of selfishness, as Glew is pretty much selfishness incarnate and ends up stuck in a cave with no way to get out, until Taran and co. decide to be merciful to him even though he tried to kill them.

This books is lots of fun, definitely a recommended read, along with the rest of the series.

Overall grade: A-

Great Kid's Book.......2006-02-18

As a kid I read the Prydain books again and again. I can't resist some Harry Potter comparisons, and since they make a good common point of reference, I'll use the device here. The Prydain books aren't quite as exciting and magical as HP, but they have many of the same coming of age problems expressed through allegory, and frankly I find the characters better developed, more humorous, and more likeable. This is the third in the five book series, and to my mind the weakest but still very, very enjoyable. The protagonist of this book, as of the others is Taran of Caer Dallben, an orphan of unknown parentage and now an Assistant Pig-Keeper. He is being raised by a monastic collection of former war heroes and semi-wizards, and is always insecure about his lineage. In this book he also struggles with the crisis of his best friend, the princess Eilonwy, being forced to leave to learn to be a lady. Other main and recurring characters, save perhaps for the princess, are more or less also neurotic in delightful ways. Alexander avoids formula, even though the plot when described could sound like a million sword and sorcerer books. The depth and likeability of the characters lifts it above most fantasy books,though, especially fantasy books for kids. We grow up with Taran, and the character he develops is character that would almost universally be recognized as admirable. I highly, highly recommend all of them- at least as much as the HP books. Again, I think this may be the weakest one, but it's still terrific.

great, but The book of Three(also by Lloyd Alexander)was better.......2005-12-04

Dont mind if I rated this 4 stars. THis is a great book, I couldnt stop reading it, but its just that THe book of Three was more interesting. I read this book since 5th grade(now im in 6th grade)its a lot interesting.
I hope this review will be useful to you !!!
thanks!!!

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