Tuesday, December 9, 2008

"The Enchanted Castle" by E. Nesbit

"The Enchanted Castle" by E. Nesbit was a book ahead of its time, combining all the quaint, whimsical charm of Victorian children's literature with laugh-out-loud shenanigans and magical hijinx. It was a predecessor to modern literature's "magical realism", where fantastical scenarios unfold in our everyday world.

Four children find a magical ring that grants wishes, but it's dangerous in the wrong hands-especially theirs! What happens when one of them needs to hide from their aunt, when the baby of the group wishes he was older, when they think the puppets in their impromtu play, the soon-to-be-infamous Ugly-Wuglies, should look a tad more realistic? Sheer silliness, made all the more hysterical by the proper Victorian setting and stuffy, affected speech patterns. "The Enchanted Castle" is a riot, a delightful change of pace for fans of children's fantasy. Read it out loud to your elementary or middle school children-if you can get through it! You will be laughing until your sides ache.

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