The Castle Corona [Library Binding]

Sharon Creech (Author), David Diaz (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up

Long ago and far away . . .

There was a castle. But not just any castle. This was a castle that glittered and sparkled and rose majestically above the banks of the winding Winono River: the Castle Corona.

And in this castle lived a family. But not just any family. This was the family of King Guido: rich and royal and . . . spoiled. And King Guido was so spoiled that neither jewels nor gold nor splendid finery could please him, for what he longed for most was . . . a nap and a gown that didn't itch.

Far below this grand, glittering castle lived two peasants. But not just any peasants. These peasants, though poor and pitiful, were plucky and proud. And in possession of a stolen pouch. But not just any pouch. A pouch whose very contents had the power to unlock secrets and transform lives . . .

And oh, there is an author. But not just any author. Sharon Creech is a Newbery Medal-winning author whose tantalizing tale will not only dazzle and delight but also entertain and excite.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

In a departure for Creech, whose previous novels have all been set in the present day, the Newbery Medal winner offers a good-hearted, gently comic fairy tale set in feudal Italy. Using parallel stories that eventually dovetail, Creech introduces the Castle Corona's sheltered, slightly ridiculous royal family and Pia and Enzio, orphaned peasant children from the nearby village. Brief, cleverly paced episodes reveal that several fixtures of castle life—the king and queen's respective hermit advisors, and the court storyteller—subtly engineer Pia and Enzio's appointment as royal food tasters, for purposes linked to a stolen pouch found by the children early on. The novel's many characters are more allegorical than flesh-and-blood, and the hasty revelations at story's end don't entirely satisfy. But the engaging, puzzlelike plot will attract readers, as the novel's heady themes, from wisdom to empathy to the fate-changing power of story, prompt them to deeper thought. Diaz's full-color chapter-heading artwork and ornamental flourishes lend the novel substantial aesthetic appeal. Mattson, Jennifer --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

'Wholly enchanting with wishes and dreams pursued' School Librarian 'An insightful social commentary wrapped up in an appealing and engaging fairytale package' Carousel --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Library Binding: 336 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (October 2, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060846224
• ISBN-13: 978-0060846220
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 6.7 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,185,606 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars The Castle Corona, October 12, 2010

By 

Audrey - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Castle Corona (Hardcover)

The Castle Corona, which veers far from Sharon Creech's usual territory, follows the lives of several characters: two princes, a king, a queen, a young princess, and two peasants (which isn't naming all but the main cast of characters).

The conflict: a thief in the kingdom and what happens next...
Well...honestly, the happenings in this story are predictable. The book is comprised of about 320 pages, and the ending can be guessed from the first chapter alone. One might consider this a bad story then, which is a point I disagree with. This is a short, (if you consider the size of the print) cute read. I did enjoy the writing style and descriptions, and there were more than a few instances of humor that did garner some chuckles.

The problem: the plot and its execution.
The end result to the plot is kind of like a 747 parked in a mall parking lot. It is that obvious. I have read books with very similar endings, and while I may not have been completely ignorant to what was going to happen (I had a pretty good idea), the execution of such a familiar plot left me enjoying the outcome. In the case of The Castle Corona, other than the one sort of main plot, nothing really happens. The ending was tied so tightly together and written in such a way (such a way meaning such a rush) that I was able to shut the book and shrug the story off, left with less feelings about it than I had halfway through or even in the story's beginning.

Were the characters bad? No; I especially liked the character of Prince Vito but was admittedly put off by the Princess. Is this a bad story? No. It is just...uneventful, but the few bits of humor and descriptions made me want to give it a three-star rating instead of a two (I didn't NOT like the book). If you love books by Sharon Creech (and I can raise my hand for this--Walk Two Moons especially) and this sounds interesting, check it out from the library (I would not suggest making a purchase). It would make a nice read-aloud for younger kids (especially if you throw in a few accents for different characters), but this is a book I will not pick up again, though this also is not a case where I regret the read.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A really Splendid Fairy Tale, October 20, 2008

By 

Delaney - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Castle Corona (Hardcover)

This book was recommended to me by a 10 year old. She told me the book was beautiful, the story was great and she read it in one sitting. I'm inclined to read anything a young person recomends to me.

Pia and Enzio find a pouch in the woods one day, it is dropped by a thief. Pia and Enzio work for a horrid master and dream of being free and cared for like the royal family. The pouch and its mysterious belongings intertwines with the tale that is happening within the castle. I suppose the revelation was not as climatic as I was expecting. However, the story is delightful and once I remembered it enough it was fun to abbreviate and tell to my son before bed. The book is beautiful, the pages are "illuminated" a sort of old fashioned gold scrolling on the pages, pictures amid the chapters, it looks like an old fariy tale you plucked out of a very old library.

I could see why my little reader recommended it to me. I did ask her about it again after I finished, and she said she supposed the illustrations of the book made her feel transported into the story. She liked the book because she felt like she was in the book.

So while some of us grownup readers may have felt so so about the revelation, one girl I know loved it because she felt she became Pia, and I think this book was written for her and her friends more than for the likes of me.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars beautiful tale, November 6, 2007

By 

A reader (None) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Castle Corona (Hardcover)

A wonderful, whimsical, wise and creative story, that is filled with warmth. It is like an updated fairytale without loosing the charm. It will make perfect reading at night for storytime or to read on one's own. The pictures are wonderful, and they are like subtitles to the chapters, telling you whom the chapter will focus on. It gave me a nice, warm fuzzy feeling and left me with a smile, not something many childrens books do these days anymore. Cannot wait to read it to my grandchildren! Highly recommended.