| Accessories By Manufacturer | |
|
|
Email Newsletter
Get info on Sales, Events, New Products, and More!
|
|
|
|
|
| The Enchanted Castle | 
 enlarge | Authors: Edith Nesbit, Peter Glassman
Creator: Paul O. Zelinsky
Publisher: HarperCollins
Category: Book
List Price: $25.99
Buy Used: $0.50
You Save: $25.49 (98%)
New (19) Used (40) Collectible (4) from $0.50
Avg. Customer Rating:  29 reviews
Sales Rank: 216518
Media: Hardcover
Reading Level: Young Adult
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 304
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.9
Dimensions (in): 9.4 x 7.2 x 1.1
ISBN: 0688054358
EAN: 9780688054359
ASIN: 0688054358
Publication Date: September 21, 1992
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: Millions of satisfied customers and climbing. Thriftbooks is the name you can trust, guaranteed. Spend Less. Read More.
|
| Also Available In:
|
| Similar Items:
|
| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com Review
A plot summary makes this story sound ordinary by children's literature standards: the summer adventures of four children who discover an enchanted castle and a magic ring. But Edith Nesbit's adored classic (written in 1907) is so much more than the description suggests. Right from the start, the author plays with the idea of magic, teasing us with a sleeping princess who turns out to be a fake. Elsewhere, the magic is "real" as can be--in fact, though written nearly 100 years ago, The Enchanted Castle prefigures the magical realism of modern novels in the matter-of-fact way it weaves the uncanny into the children's everyday life. And, while few authors are confident enough to parody bad writing, Nesbit does it hilariously (and ever so gently) through one character's tendency to "talk like a book": "'To brush his hair and his clothes... was to our hero but the work of a moment,' said Gerald." Things turn scary when the Ugly Wuglies, fake people made from painted cardboard masks, old clothes, and broomsticks, come to life. But on the whole this book about enchantment--much praised by such luminaries as H.G. Wells and Noel Coward--is, simply, enchanting. (Ages 6 and older) --Richard Farr
Product Description
Afterword by Peter Glassman. "Originally published in 1907, this book concerns four likable English children and their adventures with a magic ring. It's hard to imagine a more appealing showcase for Nesbit's fantasy than this handsome volume....Zelinsky's artwork is as lively as the story and very much of the period....Beautiful."--Booklist. A Books of Wonder Classic.
|
| Customer Reviews: Read 24 more reviews...
 A Hundred Years Later, it Still Rocks July 2, 2008
I can't believe this book was written over a hundred years ago! Wow. It's still sooo good. Some kids may take a bit of time getting used to, and understanding, the English as spoken at the time, but after 30 or so pages, it won't be a big deal. But note, there are some pretty old-fashioned and bizarre turns of the phrase; for today's American kids anyway. Strong characters, funny situations, good story, nice resolution and really great writing make this a must-read. Cheerio.
So much better than Harry Potter May 30, 2008
A wonderful, wonderful book. One of the best things about it is that it creates a true, multi-dimensional, believable moral universe. This book steers clear both of the syrupy too-goodness of the Little Lord Fauntleroy and the moral blah-ness of Harry Potter. HP's world (and I've read all of them except for the last politically-correct one) is morally flat; villains do terrible things simply because they are villains, and while racism is appropriately execrated, lying does not even register as a moral choice: everyone does it, including figures of authority like Dumbledore, without a moment's thought. In contrast, in The Enchanted Castle things like lying, stealing, courage vs. cowardice, kindness vs. meanness to others are not assumed away but processed, reflected on: was this lying and when is it OK to lie, was he kind to her just then, etc. And the quality of the writing is outstanding, the language is a delight. This is Literature... HP is mere fiction.
A memorable treasure February 27, 2008
I read this book more than fifty years ago when I was a child and have never forgotten it. How wonderful it is to see that it is available at Amazon! It has everything...humor, mystery, a little bit of romance, but best of all...MAGIC!
Delightful December 30, 2007
This is a really enjoyable work, truly magical. I just wish we had more children's books like this one and more writers like Edith Nesbit. The children discover a magic ring but their wishes come true in a way they never wanted or expected. One of the best children's books I have read.
This children's classic enchanted me ... Brilliant! November 5, 2007
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
I've always been enraptured by children's books with magic in them, especially when the author writes about ordinary children, weaving magic into the plot with such ease that it's entirely believable.
I found this book in a collection of my granddaughter's childhood books, was out of reading material, so picked it up just for a quick glance. Well, that "quick glance" turned into several hours of pure reading pleasure as I followed elder brother Gerald, his sister Kathleen, and younger brother Jimmy through a cave that ends in a magical garden surrounding an enchanted castle.
When they meet a "sleeping princess" who is not really a princess, but the niece of ... well, that would be a spoiler if I told you more, so I'll refrain from temptation.
Who is this mysterious girl named Mable who leads them on a tour of the castle, showing them some of its mysteries? Are the jewels she conjures real or figments of their imagination? What does a magical ring have to do with it? And how do they become invisible? And just where is the elusive owner of the castle and what connection does he have with the French mistress of Kathleen's school who is in charge of the children for the summer?
Those questions and more are answered by this fantastic author, Edith Nesbitt, in the most charming, believable way. Her writing style is impeccable.
This children's classic was written almost a century before the great HARRY POTTER books, with the adventures being just as original and exciting. THE ENCHANTED CASTLE has everything, including a heart-breaking, old-fashioned love story.
This book held me captive from beginning to end and is written in the style of Edith Nesbit's most popular book, FIVE CHILDREN AND IT!
A must read for all kids ... and kids at heart, like you and me!
|
|
|
Site by: Troy Peterson | |
