  | Full Text Reviews: Booklist - 08/01/2014 At the end of the last installment of George’s best-selling series, Celie and her griffin, along with some family and friends, were unexpectedly transported to another land by the magical castle. Now trapped in this foreign place, Celie spies griffins flying around the surrounding forests, and when she and her friends set out to explore, they gradually discover that they are in Castle Glower’s homeland, and the unsettling changes the castle had been making are thanks to the treachery of a pair of bitter, embattled wizards fighting over the castle and the griffins. Using their ingenuity and the loyalty of their new griffin friends, Celie and her crew learn the mysterious origins of their home, battle the wrathful wizards, and find artifacts that will help heal the distressed castle. George skillfully includes enough backstory that readers new to the series can easily jump right in, and she handily ties up the story while leaving room for further adventures (full of griffins, of course). Lovely and engaging, this fantasy series continues to have wide appeal. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Celie, her magical castle, and her adorable pet griffin soared onto the New York Times best-seller list with Wednesdays in the Tower, and fans should be eager for this origin-revealing follow-up. - Copyright 2014 Booklist. School Library Journal - 08/01/2014 Gr 4–6—Picking up right where Wednesdays in the Tower (Bloomsbury, 2013) left off, Princess Celie and her siblings have been transported by Castle Glower to a strange land. With them are their friends Pogue and Prince Lulath, as well as Celie's griffin, Rufus. In order to return home and heal the Castle, Celie and company must find the missing piece of the Eye that has been stolen. They meet a wizard, the Arkower, and though they don't trust him, he may be the only one who can help them in their mission. Filled with magnificent griffins and mysteries about the true history of the land and the Castle, fans of the series will eagerly devour this latest installment. The stakes are higher than ever before and the well-paced narrative keeps readers engaged throughout. Supporting characters such as Lulath are more fully fleshed out in this title and while circumstances often separate members of the group, the perspective always stays with Celie, so readers share her confusion and skepticism as she hears conflicting stories about the Castle and the kingdom. Like the protagonist, readers will come away with the valuable lesson that there are multiple sides to every story and that there isn't always a clear right or wrong side in a conflict between groups of people. Though this part of Celie's tale concludes, fans will be delighted at the hints of her next adventure in the final paragraphs.—Amanda Raklovits, Champaign Public Library, IL - Copyright 2014 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Loading...
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