The Matchstick Castle

by Keir Graff Narrated by Michael Crouch

Overview

A wild and whimsical adventure story, perfect for fans of Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library

Brian can think of a few places he'd rather spend his summer than with his aunt and uncle in Boring, Illinois. Jail, for example. Or an earplug factory. Anything would be better than doing summer school on a computer while his scientist dad is stationed at the South Pole.
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Boring lives up to its name until Brian and his cousin Nora have a fight, get lost, and discover a huge, wooden house in the forest. With balconies, turrets, and windows seemingly stuck on at random, it looks ready to fall over in the next stiff breeze. To the madcap, eccentric family that lives inside, it's not just a home-it's a castle.*
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Suddenly, summer gets a lot more exciting. With their new friends, Brian and Nora tangle with giant wasps, sharp-tusked wild boars, and a crazed bureaucrat intent on bringing the dangerously dilapidated old house down with a wrecking ball.
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This funny, fantastical story will resonate with any reader who's ever wished a little adventure would find them.

"For boys and girls alike, this story sings.”-Blue Balliett, award-winning author of*Chasing Vermeer*

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

"Fast-paced, anarchic fun for reluctant and avid readers alike."—Kirkus Reviews 

“This quirky novel is reminiscent of a Wes Anderson movie for the tweenage set. . . . For those who enjoy a bit of absurdist humor with their realism.”—School Library Journal 

“A zippy, adventurous romp in the woods complete with fierce animals and buried treasure.”—Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"What makes this book special is the way Graff evokes the excitement of new vistas . . . . a compelling reminder that it's a great big world out there, just waiting for the next generation of dreamers and explorers."—Chicago Tribune

"A whimsical adventure with a large dose of humor? Yes, please! This story spoke to my inner child, who suffered too many boring summer vacations and longed to discover something magical and exciting in my own backyard."—Jennifer Chambliss Bertman, New York Times bestselling author of Book Scavenger and The Unbreakable Code 

"For boys and girls alike, this story sings.”—Blue Balliett, award-winning author of Chasing Vermeer

“A towering tale filled with astonishing action, amazing characters, and two very daring adventurers.”—David Lubar, author of the Monsterrific Tales series, the Weenies series, and Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie

Kirkus Reviews

2016-10-19
With his father in Antarctica and his brothers enjoying adventurous summers elsewhere, Brian endures his in aptly named Boring, Illinois, beta testing Uncle Gary's educational software (Summer's Cool) alongside his unfriendly cousin, Nora, until a discovery in the woods changes everything. Uncle Gary's risk-averse parenting is a far cry from the comfortably laissez-faire style Brian's used to, and unlike the town, Summer's Cool doesn't live up to its billing. A tussle with Nora ends in a chase into the woods. Lost, they stumble upon the peculiar Matchstick Castle, crowned by a boat on the roof. They're warmly welcomed by a boy, Cosmo van Dash, who needs help tackling giant wasps currently infesting the premises. With Cosmo's aviatrix mother last heard from in Borneo, his father and uncles run an all-male household. The impulsive, impractical, high-spirited, and resilient van Dashes—and their castle—are far from boring. Offering badly needed problem-solving skills, Brian and Nora help control the wasps and locate Uncle Kingsley, lost inside the castle. Discovering that the Boring City Hall intends to demolish the castle within days, the van Dashes are defiant—while Brian and Nora counsel a practical approach, the van Dashes favor breaking into City Hall. Enjoyable mayhem ensues. Graff neatly contains his wacky plot within narrator Brian's Everykid voice, unspooling the looniness with transparent glee. Fast-paced, anarchic fun for reluctant and avid readers alike. (Fiction. 8-12)

Product Details

BN ID:	2940169352979
Publisher:	Penguin Random House
Publication date:	01/10/2017
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	8 - 11 Years

Read an Excerpt

CHAPTER ONE THE WORST SUMMER EVER
(Continues…)

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Excerpted from "The Matchstick Castle"
by .
Copyright © 2018 Keir Graff.
Excerpted by permission of Penguin Young Readers Group.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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