Thursdays with the Crown (Tuesdays at the Castle Series #3)

by Jessica Day George

Overview

Castle Glower has been acting weird, so it's no surprise when two towers transport Celie and her siblings to an unknown land. When they realize that no one from home is coming to get them, the kids – along with Celie's pet griffin Rufus – set out through the forest to figure out where they are and what's happened to their beloved Castle. Instead, they discover two wizards and an entire lost people, the oldest inhabitants of Castle Glower. And it seems they may know more of the Castle's secrets than Celie. But do they know how to get her back home?

This bestselling series continues with the story of the origin of Castle Glower. Readers who've been enchanted by the Castle's moving walls will be delighted by the Castle's rich and magical history.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781619633001
Publisher:	Bloomsbury USA
Publication date:	10/07/2014
Series:	See to Learn , #3
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	240
Sales rank:	158,230
File size:	3 MB
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Jessica Day George is the author of Tuesdays at the Castle and New York Times bestseller Wednesdays in the Tower, as well as the Twelve Dancing Princesses series and Dragon Slippers series. Originally from Idaho, she studied at Brigham Young University and has been a movie store clerk, a bookseller, and a school office lady before becoming a writer. Jessica lives in Salt Lake City, Utah, with her husband, their three young children, and a five-pound Maltese named Pippin who often makes cameo appearances in her books.

www.jessicadaygeorge.com
@JessDayGeorge
Jessica Day George is the author of many books for young readers, including the wonderfully whimsical Tuesdays at the Castle and three books in the Dragonskin Slippers series. Before becoming a full-time writer, she worked as a librarian and bookseller. Jessica lives with her family in Salt Lake City, Utah.
To find out more, visit www.jessicadaygeorge.com.

Editorial Reviews

Castle Glower continues to be weird. In the latest wave of its twists and turns, it drops Celie and her siblings into an unknown forest. Determined to discover the two tower mystery—and get home, she meets griffins, quizzes wizards, and encounters the Castle's oldest inhabitants. A good-spirited adventure with a winning fairy tale feel. (P.S. This Barnes & Noble exclusive edition contains a 16-page story with a map.)

"Lovely and engaging, this fantasy series continues to have wide appeal . . . Fans should be eager for this origin revealing follow-up." —Booklist  

"Fans of the series will eagerly devour this latest installment." —School Library Journal

"This enjoyable romp turns mischief into political action and a stone palace into a cunning character. . . . These kids are clever, as is George's adventure. May pique castle envy." —Kirkus on Tuesdays at the Castle

"This story puts an unexpected spin on the typical princess tale. Readers will root equally for crafty Celie and for her castle, a truly unique and memorable 'pet.'" —Library Media Connection on Tuesdays at the Castle

"Castle Glower is the true star of this charming story of court intrigue and magic. A satisfying mix of Hogwarts and Howl's Moving Castle, Castle Glower helps its true citizens, but never at the expense of plot or character development. . . . Adventure stories fans will enjoy this as much as children who wear their wizard cloaks proudly." —School Library Journal on Tuesdays at the Castle

"There is a warmth here that is utterly irresistible, both in Celie as the plucky, resourceful protagonist . . . and the maternal, protective nature of her guardian castle. Furthermore, Celie's devotion to her older brother and sister is appealing, and it's refreshing to see siblings who get along despite their differing personalities." —BCCB on Tuesdays at the Castle

“A sweet, funny, sincere story in which siblings work together.” —Kirkus Reviews on Wednesdays in the Tower

From the Publisher

Celie returns with yet another adventure in this sequel to earlier books, Wednesdays in the Tower and Tuesdays at the Castle. The magical, mysterious Castle Glower has placed Celie, Rufus (pet griffin), her siblings and friends in Glorious Arkower. Although the group does not know why they are in Glorious Arkower, they seek a way to return to the Land of Sleyne, their home. Celie also tries to locate the missing piece of the Eye to place back in the Heart of the Castle. Unfortunately, wizards with questionable alliances accuse each other as enemies. This feud confuses Celie and the others; the children do not know who to trust for help. More of Castle Glower’s history is revealed, along with the situation involving the griffins. Readers who have read the earlier books will probably enjoy this fantasy adventure. The ending appears to hint of possibly another sequel as Celie and her sister briefly discuss a journey to Grath. Reviewer: Carrie Hane Hung; Ages 8 to 12.

Children's Literature - Carrie Hane Hung

08/01/2014
Gr 4–6—Picking up right where Wednesdays in the Tower (Bloomsbury, 2013) left off, Princess Celie and her siblings have been transported by Castle Glower to a strange land. With them are their friends Pogue and Prince Lulath, as well as Celie's griffin, Rufus. In order to return home and heal the Castle, Celie and company must find the missing piece of the Eye that has been stolen. They meet a wizard, the Arkower, and though they don't trust him, he may be the only one who can help them in their mission. Filled with magnificent griffins and mysteries about the true history of the land and the Castle, fans of the series will eagerly devour this latest installment. The stakes are higher than ever before and the well-paced narrative keeps readers engaged throughout. Supporting characters such as Lulath are more fully fleshed out in this title and while circumstances often separate members of the group, the perspective always stays with Celie, so readers share her confusion and skepticism as she hears conflicting stories about the Castle and the kingdom. Like the protagonist, readers will come away with the valuable lesson that there are multiple sides to every story and that there isn't always a clear right or wrong side in a conflict between groups of people. Though this part of Celie's tale concludes, fans will be delighted at the hints of her next adventure in the final paragraphs.—Amanda Raklovits, Champaign Public Library, IL

School Library Journal

2014-08-01
Tossed into a faraway land, Celie and company try to figure out how to heal their sentient castle in this third entry to the series. At the end of Wednesdays in the Tower (2013), the Castle flung 12-year-old Celie, two elder siblings, a couple of friends and Celie's griffin Rufus into a realm called the Glorious Arkower. Most of the Castle hasn't come with them, though it was built here. The kids cross a poisoned lake, raid a king's tomb and survive a forest fire, all the while trying to figure out why the Castle (back at home) has been so upset and erratic lately. They seek historical information, which requires untangling "lies and half-truths" from two angry wizards who bicker and tell contradictory stories. Although there's plenty of action, all the heavy significance rests on ancient history and exposition, dousing the immediacy of the story. When Celie deciphers a truth or hears a big reveal, the actual information often doesn't end up mattering: Whichever land this is, whatever the Castle's and the griffins' histories may be, clearly both wizards are bad, and goals stay the same. George's characters and griffins still charm, but readers may miss the vital Castle's larger presence, and the title is, sadly, purely decorative (there's no pattern of Thursdays). Here's hoping the next installment (Fridays, coming in fall 2015) will recover the series' early bounce and zip. (Fantasy. 8-11)

Kirkus Reviews