Escape from Castle Cant [Hardcover]

K.P. Bath (Author), Leah Palmer Preiss (Illustrator)

Book Description

Grade Level: 3 and up

The baron's headstrong daughter Pauline's rescue from Castle Cant by her heroic half-sister Lucy was just the beginning of the madcap adventure launched in The Secret of Castle Cant, K.P. Bath's acclaimed debut novel. Now hungry and homeless, they are left to fend for themselves in the war-torn Barony, which is full of danger and bounty hunters. Can the girls escape to the Outlands to fight the corrupt gum trade that claimed their father's life?

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 6-9–As this sequel to The Secret of Castle Cant (Little, Brown, 2004) opens, Lucy Wickwright and her half sister, Pauline von Cant, are seeking refuge from the two men who want to be their regents and are involving the Barony of Cant in a civil war. Before she learned of her parentage and heritage, Lucy served as Pauline's maid, and the two girls are best friends and loyal only to each other. Helped by a small group of friends, they attempt to travel unobserved through the country as they learn a variety of secrets related to their past and the Barony's economy. A confusion of plots, schemes, disguises, and escapes follows as the girls try to sabotage the gum trade that lies behind the revolution and claim rule in their own right. Wordplay, a lively narrative voice, absurd situations, and exaggerated characters add humor to the story. Unfortunately, it fails to progress over the course of the novel, leaving the characters more knowledgeable but still on the run at the predictable conclusion. Fans of the first book will enjoy reading more about Pauline, Lucy, and their friends, but they'll be left waiting for more. The focus on illegitimacy and the questionable parentage of both girls adds an edge of maturity to the otherwise innocent fun.–Beth L. Meister, Pleasant View Elementary School, Franklin, WI
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About the Author

Kevin P. Bath received his MFA from the University of Alabama and made his book-length debut with The Secret of Castle Cant. His fiction for adults has appeared in Puerto del Sol, The Green Mountains Review, Epoch, and Gulf Coast. His story "The Home Front" was a notable story of the year in Best American Short Stories of the Year 2001, and his story "Algae Eaters" was nominated for a Pushcart Prize.

Leah Palmer Preiss, the illustrator, has worked on numerous books for children. Her work has appeared in many annuals and exhibits, including Society of Illustrators, Print, Spectrum, Visual Club, and RSVP competitions. She exhibits her paintings worldwide.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Little, Brown Young Readers; First edition (September 6, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 031610857X
• ISBN-13: 978-0316108577
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,764,585 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Appreciate and relish ESCAPE FROM CASTLE CANT., October 7, 2006

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Escape from Castle Cant (Hardcover)

The adored daughter of and heir to the fortune of the late Lord Cant has been kidnapped by her half-sister Lucy Wickwright, deemed a rebel, in this sequel to the Chewing Gum Rebellion story SECRET OF CASTLE CANT - at least, that's what the bulletin proclaims. In truth Pauline is a fugitive, rescued from the castle by her half-sister, and the two are fleeing through a country at war over chewing gum. No prior familiarity with SECRET is required to appreciate and relish ESCAPE FROM CASTLE CANT.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great adventure!, September 23, 2006

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Escape from Castle Cant (Hardcover)

WOW! A great adventure! The Secret of Castle Cant is my favorite book ever. I waited a whole year to find out about how the chewing gum rebellion would end. Finally, I got Escape form Cstle Cant and read it almost in 1 day. Its kinda scarey--the bogwife and vlad orloff with that arrow in his neck! But funny too. I laughed at mrs. Pooter! And really smart. you cant imagine what will happen next. I cant' wait to find out the next adventure!

1.0 out of 5 stars READ THIS REVIEW BEFORE PURCHASING, January 25, 2012

By 

Michelle Witte "Michelle" (Utah) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Escape From Castle Cant (Paperback)

I actually really enjoyed this book and its predecessor when I read them several years ago. But then I saw that the author was convicted and is currently serving jail time for possession and trading of child pornography. Any illusions I had of this just being a fun book for kids was destroyed. You can find out more by googling K.P. Bath, since I can't post links here.

I'm grossed out beyond reason, because I can't imagine how his position of trust as an author could possibly have led to crimes against the very children he was writing for. This is all conjecture on my part, but I can't get that image out of my head.

Reading these books are up to you, since they're actually good stories, but the subtext and implications behind his words are too much for me to handle.