'ONCE UPON A CASTLE’ appeals equally to boys and girls. Twins, Tom and Mary
are evacuated in World War 11 and discover two castles. Yet one appears
and disappears !
Uncle Toby had said there would be castles to explore, with ghosts and things. This helps to cheer up the glum twelve-year old Lovell twins, Tom and Mary, leaving their schools and loving parents to be evacuated to wild Norhumbria during World War 11.
Then the adventure begins. They live with their Aunt Victoria and Uncle Leslie, meet the loveable 'Mrs M', a strange dog called 'Scamp' and, worst, the terrible private tutor Miss Urquart from whom they run away to find a mysterious castle seen through an old telescope.
Now they are drawn into bizarre supernatural events of a time-warp between the war itself and ancient warfare.
They encounter dark forces, as the story twists and turns, and are even rescue by the Royal Navy. Yet, this is only the beginning of more unexpected tragedies before rthe twins can escape from it all.
Excerpt
In the distance, a mysterious elongated ship was breaking up at the base of the towering castle.
"My God" spluttered Mary. "Vikings !"
The wild bloodied creatures lunged menacingly towards the twins from all directions. With their blood-curdling shrieks, the noise was horrific. Their intense, ferocious blue eyes were piercing.
"Oh no" wailed Tom as a hairy arm propelled a massive hand towards his throat.
Professional Reviews
Once upon A Castle
I had the pleasure of reading one of Alan's other works, Cry of the Machi, and was thrilled for the opportunity to read his children's book. Again, Alan has not left me disappointed!
This is a rather short book, around 75 pages, but a delightful read for kids and pre-teens. But a head's up for parents, your kiddo may need help with understanding a few words throughout the book, or use it as a great opportunity to sit and read together!
True to Alan's style, he paints beautiful portraits of the setting throughout the book, filling your imagination with amazing images of the older days of London. He guides you through the war torn city as Tom and Mary make the journey to the safety of the countryside. Along the way depicting the shift in scenery from the chaos of war, to the splendor of country living.
The plot moves at a good pace, adequate for a child with even the shortest of attention spans. Shortly after arriving at their new home, the twins are met with the enticing mystery of the castle in the distance. I even found myself drawn into the hidden reasons the mystical mist seemed to make the castle vanish. And why was it no one else could see what the children saw!
Alan filled the story with lovely characters, each lively in their own way yet true to how (I would imagine) people spoke and behaved in those times. It felt as if you really did step back in time and became apart of this close, loving family.
The ending held some interesting twists, and neatly tied up any lingering loose ends. Overall this was a really cute, interesting read that I'm sure my kids would enjoy. I loved the way Alan again plucked me from my living room and gently set me in another time and place. He masterfully portrays setting, blended with characters your child will enjoy and come to feel as friends. I would recommend this to anyone with kids 8+ years old, not only for the wonderful adventures, but also for the vivid look at life during WWII. Bravo to Alan for another great read!
Ezra's a closeted medium. She's a novelist who writes stories about seeing dead people and claims they're fiction. Her life with Grant was peaceful until a rebel ghost named Jenna entered her life who doesn't like Grant. Allie, the resident ghost, li
It's 1969 and some high school students in a small town decide to oppose a war that makes no sense and promises to set their lives on a different path against their wishes.
