Review: Tuesdays at the Castle

Tuesdays at the Castle by Jessica Day George
Grade: A
Summary: Tuesdays at Castle Glower are Princess Celie's favorite days. That's because on Tuesdays the castle adds a new room, a turret, or sometimes even an entire wing. No one ever knows what the castle will do next, and no one-other than Celie, that is-takes the time to map out the new additions. But when King and Queen Glower are ambushed and their fate is unknown, it's up to Celie, with her secret knowledge of the castle's never-ending twists and turns, to protect their home and save their kingdom. This delightful book from a fan- and bookseller-favorite kicks off a brand-new series sure to become a modern classic.

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: I've been wanting to read George's Castle Glower series for months now, particularly since I enjoyed her retellings of The 12 Dancing Princesses, Cinderella, and Little Red Riding Hood. But then over the summer, I attempted to read a lot of middle grade and hardly liked any of those books. So my reluctance and delay in reading the Castle Glower series wasn't random.
However, when I finally read Tuesdays at the Castle, I was so glad I did. George wrote excellent characters, made me want more adventures with them, and crafted beautiful relationships. I loved that the siblings cared so much for each other and believed in each other, themselves, and their parents. Family relationships like the one in this book are so rare in middle grade and YA fantasy. The Castle itself is fantastic. It's practically a character all by itself. I loved its quirks and how much it cared for the royal family.

The Verdict: I need the rest of the books in the series. Now.

Buy: Read Between the Lynes  Barnes & Noble