Eddy Wong and friends want to cut down a grove of trees to build a baseball diamond, but Kate and Aurora insist that the trees are the magical Unicorn's Grove. By the author of Fool's Gold.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
The Castle Court Kids series launches with this sluggish, subpar girls-against-boys story. The neighborhood boys want to chop down trees to create a baseball field. The girls take great offense, as they have transformed the designated spot into The Unicorn Grove, where they sit dressed as "maidens" and arrange water and apples, hoping to attract a unicorn. Members of each faction initiate seemingly endless, tedious phone calls, which culminate in a confrontation embellished with some decidedly disturbing props, including a hatchet, slingshot, baseball bat and a pellet gun that one child carries "like an assault rifle." Finally, the shrieks of a four-year-old diffuse the showdown: a neighbor's pony has died. After its owner comforts the child, one of the boys makes her hysterical once again by telling her that its remains will be ground into "dog meat." If this is an attempt at humor, it's hardly successful. But the pony's demise does serve a purpose: its grazing field is to become the baseball field, saving the grove for the girls. One expects worthier, more entertaining fare from the author of The Egypt Game and Libby on Wednesday. Ages 8-12.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
Grade 4-5?The prize in this "war" is a verdant vacant lot near the neighborhood known as Castle Court. Sports enthusiasts Carlos, Eddy, and Bucky want to claim the spot for a baseball diamond and chop down the trees. However, Kate, Aurora, and Athena believe the grove is a perfect haven for unicorns, and they expect to see one any day. Alliances are formed and plans are made as the youngsters choose to attack or defend the precious plot of land. A meeting to "talk about it" is arranged, but when the girls plant a pet boa constrictor to frighten the boys, diplomacy fails. An eleventh-hour end to the war comes when the death of a horse loved by all the children unites them in their sorrow and gives the boys a place to play ball. The issue of using a pellet gun is argued and, although no shots are fired, the scene in which the gun is aimed by a child at a child is frightening. The kids of Castle Court are a lively, diversified group, representing many cultures, interests, and ages. The central characters are well developed, and other youngsters readers might expect to meet in future series entries are introduced. Both the situations and dialogue are humorous. The action is fast-paced, with end-of-chapter teasers guaranteed to keep the pages turning. Readers who enjoyed Phyllis Reynolds Naylor's The Boys Start the War (Doubleday, 1993) will find another satisfying feud here.?Sarabeth Kalajian, Venice Public Library, FL
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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