Friends, I LOVE it when setting is a character and Tuesdays At The Castle by Jessica Day George just fuels this love. When King and Queen Glower disappear and are considered to be dead, a few opportunists try to shove out Celie and her siblings Lilah and heir Rolf. Celie, however, turns to Castle Glower in her time of need.
Tuesdays At The Castle
You see, Castle Glower is no ordinary castle. Every Tuesday, it changes with a new room and Castle Glower is infused with magic. Princess Celie is very kind and respectful of the castle and in return the castle helps her and her siblings out by locking certain rooms and making accommodations crappy for the usurpers.
Yo, you ever see Home Alone and secretly fantasize about being Kevin Macalister and setting traps for stupid burglars? This is a safe place, c’mon you can admit it. Well, Tuesdays At The Castle by Jessica Day George is very much like Home Alone – obviously with the kids alone and holding down the fort and friends, I LOVED that. Probably because I am a 12 year old on the inside, but really, I just love reading about the ingenuity of kids.
Celie as the main character is wonderful. She has gumption. She is very much the fight back type and I love that, while her siblings (also lovely) keep a cool head. I identified with Celie because she just wants to hurry with the plan and rush in and that’s kind of what I would do myself.
Tuesdays At The Castle by Jessica Day George is a fantastic afternoon read that will have you giggling and wondering what the outcome will be for the three Glower children. Middle grade fans, get on this wonderful book.
Disclosure: Borrowed from my local library (YAY LIBRARIES ILY)
This is a CYBILS nominee.
Other reviews of Tuesdays At The Castle by Jessica Day George:
A Patchwork Of Books
Bookworm 1858
Charlotte’s Library
Books From Bleh To Basically Amazing
The Book Rat
I just adored this book and can’t wait for the next-so many possibilities in the Castle Glower!
I’m actually not a big Home Alone fan-I know many people just love it but I just watched it for the first time last year and it didn’t do much for me. Is this a sentimental childhood favorite?
Yes, Home Alone is definitely a sentimental childhood favorite for me. I definitely watched it when it first came out.
This sounds SO cute! I’m not a big reader of middle grade fiction, mainly because I never know what’s good and what’s not, but some of my favorite books, now that I think about it, are middle grade. Also, somehow your review reminds me so much of the narrative voice in Lemony Snicket’s books… orrrrr… maybe I’m just in a Lemony Snicket kind of mood!
It is a cute book. I became a really big middle grade fan this year.
Also Lemony Snicket is awesome!
This sounds adorable.
It totally IS!
I am sold due to the Home Alone comparison! It’s one of my favorite movies.
YES! Home Alone is awesome.
I loved home alone. My brother and I used to watch it over and over, drove my grandmother nuts.
This book sound absolutely adorable. I will def be adding this to my shelves to read with Aubrey some day.
I’m glad I am not the only person who obsessively watched Home Alone.
AND YES, Tuesdays At The Castle is the perfect book to read with a daughter.
I’ve loved the authors other books so I don’t know why I haven’t read this one yet! I am so getting a copy!
I need to read more Jessica Day George.
Aw. this sounds like a super cute read! It sounds like an much expanded upon version around the idea of the Room of Requirement from HP, doesn’t it? Love it! I’m just a sucker for a well-written MG book
Oh my goodness, my brain never even made that Room of Requirement connection. But yes, it’s very much like that.
YAY! I absolutely LOVED this book!
It’s so cute! I loved that the castle was a character as well 
And then the ending with the transformation of the stuffed lion! I’m a little sad I don’t know a little girl I can give this book too…
I agree. I wish I knew a little girl that I could hand Tuesdays At The Castle too. However, one of my fellow Cybils panelists has a son that she said loved Tuesdays, so maybe if you know a little boy you could give him Tuesdays at The Castle.
I loved Celie so much when I read this. I loved the way that she really trusted the castle to protect them and it helped her in return.
YES! Celie was so wonderful as was her faith in the castle.
This sounds awesome! Hadn’t heard of it, but I’ll certainly be checking it out. I’ve totally had that Home Alone fantasy…
I’m glad I am not the only person who has ever had that fantasy. You absolutely should read Tuesdays At The Castle.
Another of my favorite bloggers reviewed this one and I’d already decided to break my NO-MG rule. I can dig the younger-than-me kids, but it’s the lack of full-on romance that puts me off. I know, I know, I’m totally missing out with that mentality. But this blogger wrote this beautiful review and I was totally sold.
This was maybe a month or two ago.
-_-
NOW, however, my determination to read this book is renewed. I’m dying to meet this Celie everyone likes so much.
And I thought I was the only one with that secret Home Alone fantasy
- Asher (from Paranormal Indulgence)
I think there are several of us out there with dreams of setting traps for bad guys.
You are missing out on MG, but I feel you on wanting some romance in your reads.
1. I love settings as character.
2. I love gumption. Like, a lot.
3. I love Middle Grade.
4. I freaking love a dang library.
I’ve already heard great things about this one…I think from Ashley @BasicallyBooks. I think. So, yeah, this one is on my radar for sometime when I need a sweet MG fix.
Gumption is the best ever.
And I totally remember Ashley from Basically Books being a huge fan.