Goblins in the Castle by Bruce Coville
Reviewed by: Sarah Baker, Circulation Assistant
Genre: Fantasy
Suggested Age: Children (8-12)
What is this Book About?: William is eleven and has never left his home, Toad-in-a-Cage Castle. He’s explored most of it, but one night he finds a new passage and meets Igor. Igor is guarding something secret, something he can’t tell William about. There’s also the matter of the North Tower. It’s locked and shrouded in mist, and William is forbidden from asking about it. But one Halloween night, voices call to him from beyond that door. William gives in and opens it, unleashing something – goblins! They’re free and running amok and are full of hatred for humanity for locking them away. They’ve kidnapped Igor and now it’s up to William to set things right and save his friend!
My Review: I use habitica to challenge myself and to keep on top of my own life. One of the challenges I had this month was the KidLit reading challenge – read a favorite book from childhood. And this was definitely one of my top five favorites. I was so happy to see it held up over time, and that even though I remembered the story, it was never boring or dull. Even the illustrations were exactly as I remembered. There’s no deep world building here – you jump in with both feet and go where the path takes you. But there are lessons about friendship, following and breaking rules, and learning that trust takes time to rebuild.
Three Words That Describe This Book: Fun, Imaginative, Heart-warming
Give this a try if you like…The Hobbit; Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher; Kiki’s Delivery Service
Rating: (out of 5) 5/5
About FDL Reads
FDL Reads is a series of weekly book reviews from Fondulac District Library.
