The Castle in the Attic [Unabridged] [Audio Cassette]

Elizabeth Winthrop (Author, Reader), Full Cast (Reader)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up | Series: Castle in the Attic

Read by the author and the Words Take Wing TM Repertory Company
Two cassettes / 3 hours 30 mins.

William can't wait to play with the mysterious castle his housekeeper, Mrs. Phillips, has given to him.  For years whe has been telling him about the old stone and wood model with its drawbridgee, moat, and finger-high knight to guard the gates.  And now it is his.

If only Mrs. Phillips would stay with him, instead of going back to England, everything would be perfect.

But she is firm about leaving.

William is just as determined to make her stay--and he begins to see the way to do it when he picks up the little silver knight, which comes alive in his hand!

But William's big idea turns out to be the worst mistake of his life.  To correct it, he must undertake a fantastic quest to another island, where he must battle to conquer both the darkness outside, and the darkness within.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

An author admired for realistic novels, Winthrop presents an absorbing fantasy about William Lawrence, 10. When Mrs. Phillips prepares to return to her native England, William grieves. She has taken care of him through the years while his parents have been away at work. Mrs. Phillips's parting gift to the boy is a medieval castle, authentically complete, but with only one small figure, a knight. Picking up the knight, William is thrilled when it comes to life. The knight tells of the times when a wizard had spellbound all the king's subjects and unsurped the throne. But William is more interested in the tiny man's magic amulet and he uses it to shrink Mrs. Phillips, to keep her in the castle. Then his conscience insists that he miniaturize himself and join the two in the fight to undo the wizard and restore the kingdom. Suspense and colorful details, as well as a gentle moral percept, make the story special.
Copyright 1985 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-6 A satisfying quest fantasy with a strong element of modern realism which will appeal to a wide range of readers. Ten-year-old William is so distraught at the idea of his beloved housekeeper/nanny Mrs. Phillips returning to England that, with the aid of a magic token, he shrinks her into the size of the toy knight which inhabits a wooden castle that has been passed down in her family for generations. To undo his rash deed, William must be miniaturized himself and accompany the silver knight, Sir Simon, on a quest to overthrow Alastor, a wicked magician who long ago usurped the throne of what should have been Sir Simon's kingdom. William's pure and gentle heart enables him to triumph over both the magician and his own childish yearning to possess Mrs. Phillips. The plot is carefully constructed. William's real-life situation is a strong component of the story rather than a device whereby he can enter the fantasy world. His too-busy parents and his struggle to be mature enough to let Mrs. Phillips go are juxtaposed with his quest and struggle to defeat Alastor. Both William and Mrs. Phillips are sympathetic, well-developed characters. In contrast, William's pediatrician mother and architect father are sketchy, both in William's emotional life and in the author's realization of them. Adults may find the theme that a pure heart can triumph over evil is a bit overstated, and fantasy buffs may desire a more fully developed fantasy world, but for young readers new to fantasy this will be successful. Louise L. Sherman, Anna C. Scott School, Leonia, N.J.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Audio Cassette
• Publisher: Listening Library; Unabridged edition (March 14, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0807277878
• ISBN-13: 978-0807277874
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (107 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,419,785 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #93 in Books > Books on Cassette > Children's Books > Fantasy

More About the Author

ELIZABETH WINTHROP is the author of over fifty works of fiction for all ages.

Her most recent historical novel, COUNTING ON GRACE has been chosen as a Notable Book of the Year by the American Library Association, the National Council of Social Studies, the International Reading Association and the Children's Book Council among others. The novel has also been nominated for state book awards in Vermont, Virginia, Kentucky, Kansas, Missouri,Indiana, Hawaii and Arizona.

Elizabeth has published more than fifty books for readers of all ages. THE CASTLE IN THE ATTIC, nominated for twenty-three state book awards is currently under option to Walden Media.

Her popular picture books include DUMPY LA RUE, SHOES,DOG SHOW, SQUASHED IN THE MIDDLE and most recently, THE FIRST CHRISTMAS STOCKING and THE BIGGEST PARADE. Two of her recent books for older children are THE RED-HOT RATTOONS, a comic fantasy novel and DEAR MR. PRESIDENT, Letters from a Milltown Girl, a work of historical fiction set in western Massachusetts.

Elizabeth is also the author of two novels for adults, IN MY MOTHER'S HOUSE and ISLAND JUSTICE. She is currently at work on a memoir.

The daughter of the journalist, Stewart Alsop,she divides her time between New York City and the Berkshires.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THIRD GRADE READING GROUP RECOMMENDS THIS BOOK!, February 4, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Castle in the Attic (Hardcover)

We are in the third grade at an all boys school and we just finished reading The Castle in the Attic. We highly recommend this book because it has magic, wizardry, knights, castles, dragons and time travel. We also enjoyed this book because some of the story is fantasy and some is reality. Each character does one special thing in the story. For example, William's special ability to defeat the dragon. The adventure was very exciting! We think the author's use of adjectives is great. Boys and girls would love this book! If you want to read this book by yourself, we recommend it to any student in the third grade and above. However, anyone over 6 years old might enjoy listening to this tale. This book is magical!

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantasy classic, April 8, 2001

By 

E. A Solinas "ea_solinas" (MD USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Castle in the Attic (Paperback)

What I would describe as early-fantasy, a book for kids who are getting into the genre. Snappy and well-paced, the book is also dotted with sweet moments that may bring a tear to the eye.

William lives in a nice suburb with his ever-busy parents (I found it sweet how he still loves and treasures his parents, despite their frequent absence) and the nanny/maid, Mrs. Phillips. William receives shattering news: Mrs. Phillips intends to return to England. As a consolation gift, she gives him a toy castle with accompanying knight, and a tiny metal charm.

Then the knight comes to life. The tiny silver man, Sir Simon, soon befriends William as the young man goes to desperate lengths to keep Mrs. Phillips. But a knight can't forget his duty, and soon William becomes entangled in the clutches of Alastor, the evil wizard. But how can a physically unimpressive ten-year-old defeat a powerful magician?

William is an enjoyable character, made more so by his anxiety over Mrs. Phillips and general decency toward his fellow man. I also enjoyed the comparisons using his gymnastics lessons as examples of self-control and discipline.

Mrs. Phillips was a lovely character, very compassionate and caring, but firm in her intentions. Alastor was pure evil, while Sir Simon was a thoroughly likeable and decent guy, without being too perfect or anything like that. I found Calender to be a rather sorry character, and was glad of the resolution written for her.

The plot is pleasantly original, though I wish less time had been spent in "our" world. The writing style is rather ordinary, the first half a bit slow, and the descriptions somewhat underfleshed. However, the simple yet effective plot and good characterization overcome those problems. Without a doubt, kids should check out this book, and also the even-better sequel "The Battle for the Castle."

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Both my daughter and son enjoyed this book., January 31, 2001

By 

Jane James "homeschoolmum" (California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Castle in the Attic (Paperback)

It's not overly long, and it's written in simple enough language that my 8 and 9 year old children had no trouble reading it.

It's a very engaging, sweet story, which introduces the concepts of chivalry and bravery. I actually think this book is very good for boys to read - it's about knights and fighting for one's honor, and demonstrating loyalty, but it's also about being able to cry when you need to, and being able to express love for others.

In this story, the little boy's nanny is moving away, because he's growing up and doesn't need her, and he has some trouble accepting this. I think it's a wonderful, simple way to address some of the issues all children face when approaching their teenage years.

I definitely recommend this one to parents and children.