 |
| The Charmed Children of Rookskill Castle by Janet Fox |
"Something is not right at Rookskill Castle, a rundown Scottish manor shrouded in mystery. The castle is a temporary boarding school for children escaping the Blitz, but soon it’s clear there is something terribly wrong. There are clues hinting that a spy is in the house, and there are undeniable signs of a sinister magic. When the children in the castle’s temporary boarding school begin disappearing one by one, it’s a race against the clock for twelve-year-old Kat Bateson, her two younger siblings, and their new best friend."
It took me a while to get into this one, which concerns me for my middle schoolers. You have to grab them and hold on with both hands to get them to read sometimes, so I'm not sure how this one will go over. Eventually the plot became very exciting and even creepy, so I think if they just keep going it will win them over. It also attempts a lot of plot lines, which might be hard for some of my students to keep track of and understand.... WWII and the Blitz, boarding school, magic, spying and mechanical things. The main character is a little annoying at times, but she has a lot on her plate. All in all, I mildly enjoyed it but was annoyed at the open ending and no sequel.
Areas of concern:
*Some pretty gruesome magic goes on including trading fingers and limbs for special charms.
*Really evil person stealing the souls of children.
*A parent in grave danger from the Nazis
Suggested Ages:
Publisher's Weekly - Ages 10+
School Library Journal - Grades 6+
No comments:
Post a Comment