Knight's Castle

These were my favorite books as a child. They are still fun - I am reading them out loud to my grandchildren!

This was my first Edward Eager book, and it was not my last. It's a part of Eager's ongoing, sometimes intertwined fantasy serieses starring flawed yet admirable characters. Note: There's a bit of an in-joke in one bit of dialogue, concerning the kids' mothers from a previous book of Eager's, but it won't confuse you if you've so much as read the back of the other books.Roger and his sister's father needs surgery, and his frightened kids are taken along to stay with their cousins, bossy Eliza and camera-obsessed Jack. The thing that cheers frightened Roger up is a toy castle his aunt gives him, and his vast army of toy soldiers. But the oldest of them all tells Roger that he must EARN his wishes...Soon Roger and his relatives (parents excluded) are tossed into the medieval world of Robin Hood and Ivanhoe, a world that can be altered by what is set around the toys, such as wastepaper baskets and dollhouses. The ending is still a bit confusing (I'm not entirely certain what's going on) but the book overall has far more intricacy and imagination than Harry Potter or Which Witch or anything like that. Especially since Eager wrote this decades ago, when children's fantasy was much more scarce. The kids are all totally believable and enjoyable, and the various knights and ladies either make you cheer or boo, depending on whether they're despicable or not..Utter not the words of power: "Lead soldiers!"

The Knight's Castle is a fabulous book for many reasons. One becuase it is a fantasy book which takes you through the Middle Ages. In this book there are two kids and there cousins. And there Dad or Uncle you could say, is suffering from a disease. And they are offered a wish, and they wish that there Dad or Uncle would get better. They have to earn there wish by going back in time of the time of Ivanhoe and Robin Hood and Ivanhoe, and completing a mission.

Potter, Schmotter! As much as we loved the Harry Potter books, and my daughters and I devoured them, I knew they would love Edward Eager's books just as much, if not more. Believably real children, believable magic, everyday situations that turn out to be anything but, Edward Eager wrote about it all forty years ago. My older sister introduced me to Half Magic when I was about 8, and after reading the whole collection, I re-read them again in high school. Knight's Castle was always my favorite, for all the reasons mentioned by the other reviews, but also because it dealt with the very real situation of children who have more and children who have less, and how we all get along. I wonder, what is Edward Eager doing now? Does anyone know?

I first read this book when I was eight. I'm currently working on a MA in literature, and of everything I've read, this remains my all time favorite.

When I was in Sixth Grade in 1964, my teacher read a chapter of this story at the end of each day. No one wanted to go home!!! It's a wonderful story about children who, because their father is ill, have to stay with their cousins. Their Aunt takes everyone to see the movie Ivanhoe and afterwards gives them a miniature castle complete with knights and ladies. Of course the kids designate these toys as the characters in the movie and you guessed it, the castle and the characters magically become alive. Nothing goes like the real story of Ivanhoe and there are many very funny magical adventures. I've read every Edward Eager book and this is the best one!