Knight's Castle
Tales of Magic, Book 2
Edward Eager
Odyssey
Fiction, CH Fantasy
Themes: Classics, Games, Portal Adventures, Wishes, Wizards
****
Description
Roger and Ann were looking forward to a summer vacation in the Rockies, or maybe New England. But then their father got sick and had to go to a hospital in Baltimore. Now, they're staying with their Aunt Katherine and her children, bossy Eliza and camera-nut Jack. Despite the toy castle and dollhouse they're given to play with (of course Eliza's too old for playing house with Ann, and Jack doesn't share Roger's love of soldiers or castles), it looks like a boring summer in Baltimore... until Roger discovers something unusual about one of his lead soldier toys, and inadvertently sets them all up for a summer of magic and adventure with a careless wish.
Review
This is an older story, but it's still rather fun. It reads fast and easy, and the adventures of Roger and the others aren't as predictable as they might initially seem. Though the characters may not necessarily be original, the story and setting are very imaginative, even if the plot falls back on a few worn chestnuts. Though part of Eager's seven-book Tales of Magic series, this book reads fine as a stand-alone title.