William has just gotten some really good news, and some really bad news. The good news is that Mrs. Phillips, the housekeeper who has pretty much raised him, has given him an amazing toy stone castle. It's old, beautifully crafted, and very detailed: you can even raise the portcullis and lower the drawbridge. The bad news is that Mrs. Phillips gave it to him because she's retiring and moving back to England.
One day when William is playing with the castle, he's holding the
tiny knight who came with it: when to his astonishment the knight comes
to life and starts shouting at William to put him down. The knight
reveals that his name is Sir Simon, known as the Silver Knight, and he
is from a faraway land. An evil sorcerer named Alastor placed a spell on
Sir Simon, turning him into a tiny lead figurine and leaving him
trapped in this toy castle.
Determined to keep Mrs. Phillips from leaving, William sets events
in motion that end up drawing him to another land: where he must battle a
fiery dragon and the dangerous Alastor in order to save Sir Simon and
Mrs. Phillips. Along the way he will learn the importance of kindness,
staying true to himself, and being willing to grow up and let things in
his life change.
I loved this book in elementary school. It's the perfect blend of
realistic life (William is small for his age, and gets teased my
classmates, but it makes him really, really good at gymnastics) and
fantasy (who doesn't want a toy castle that will come to life and take
you on an amazing adventure?!). There's a sequel too: The Battle for the Castle
, and it's equally as fun as The Castle in the Attic.
, and it's equally as fun as The Castle in the Attic.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Recommended age: 8 - up
Do your kids like fantasy books?
This post is day three of my 31 Days of Awesome Kids' Books.
This post contains Amazon affiliate links.
