A Tale of Two Castles by Gail Carson Levine

Title:   A Tale of Two Castles

Author:  Gail Carson Levine

Publisher: Harper       Year:  2011

ISBN:  978-0-06-122965-7  

Genre: Fantasy Fiction

This book is for Ages: 10-14

AR Points:     9.0

Subjects/Themes: Dragons/Royalty/Identity

Plot Summary:  12-year-old Elodie is leaving her family to seek a weaving apprenticeship in the Town of Two Castles.  Her parents warn her about dragons, ogres, and white sepulchers.  Elodie arrives in town to find there are no weaving apprenticeships available, unless she can pay for one.  She is not too disappointed because she really wants to be a mansioner- an actress.  But when the head of the acting troupe rejects her because she cannot pay, and her only copper is stolen, Elodie has no place to go.  When the beautiful dragon Menoree offers Elodie food and a warm, safe place to sleep, Elodie accepts.  Even if it means she must act like a servant in the ogre’s castle to help Menoree solve a mystery.

Review:  Gail Carson Levine stays true to her style with this sweet new tale that reminds us not to judge a dragon, ogre, princess or apprentice by how they look.  

If you like this book you may also like:  Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine.

Goose Chase By Patrice Kindl

Title:   Goose Chase

Author:  Patrice Kindl

Publisher: Scholastic Press    Year: 2002 c2001

ISBN:  0-439-52039-8

Genre: Fiction/Fantasy/Adventure

This book is for Ages: 9-12

AR Points: 8.0          

Subjects/Themes: Orphans, Princesses, Geese,

Plot Summary:  14-year-old Alexandria Aurora Fortunata is an orphaned Goose Girl.  Happily having a tea party with her 12 geese when a hungry old hag comes along, Alexandria gives the old woman all her food, just a bit of bread and a little water.  The hag is a witch who casts a spell on Alexandria.  Alexandria is now more beautiful than the dawn.  She has enchanted golden hair complete with gold dust dandruff and her tears are diamonds.  Soon the townspeople find out.  The Prince and neighboring King both want to marry her they lock her in a tower until she decides who she will wed, but Alexandria just wants to be a goose girl.  Can her geese help her escape so she can go back home?  Alexandria embarks on a magical journey with a spectacular ending.

Review:  I enjoyed this book.  Kindl’s small and delicate stitches create a magical story with elements from Rapunzel and the Six Swans.  Alexandria is clever.   Her geese are quick and try to keep her out of trouble.  Kindl’s imaginative use of ordinary objects reminds me of the magical berries that grew in my own backyard when I was a child.  It was always amazing to see what they could do.  Kindl’s story is full of  originality and style.

If you like this book you may also like:  The Fairy’s Mistake, Princess Sonora and the Long Sleep or Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine.  You may also like Dealing with Dragons, by Patricia C. Wrede.

 Text of video:  Welcome everyone.  Today’s video is about Goose Chase by Patrice Kindl  Where “living in a fairy tale isn’t all it’s cracked up to be”.   14-year-old Alexandria Aurora Fortunata is an orphaned Goose Girl.  She is happily having a tea party with her 12 geese.  A hungry old hag comes along so Alexandria gives the old woman all her food, which is just a bit of bread, and a little water.  The hag is really a fairy in disguise who casts an enchantment on Alexandria.  Suddenly Alexandria is more beautiful than the dawn.  She has enchanted golden hair complete with gold dust dandruff,  Alexandria’s tears turn into diamonds.  Soon everyone knows of Alexandria’s enchantment.  The wicked king from the next kingdom, who has a heart like a lump of coal wants to marry her and so does the young, handsome and but boring Prince of her kingdom.  Together they lock her in a tower until she decides which one of them she will marry, but Alexandria just wants to be a goose girl.  With the help of her geese, she manages a high flying escape right into the clutches of an Ogress.  Alexandria embarks on a magical journey full of imagination with a spectacular ending. To find out what happens read goose chase by Patrice Kindl

The Fairy's Mistake by Gail Carson Levine

Title:  The Fairy’s Mistake

Author: Gail Carson Levine

Publisher: Scholastic, New York Year: 2000

ISBN: 0-439-17911-4

Series: The Princess Tales

Genre: Fiction/Fables

This book is for Ages: 8 up

Subjects/Themes:  Kindness/Selfishness

Rosella is a kind girl who is always fetching water.  One day she meets an old woman at the well, the fairy Ethelinda in disguise.  As a reward for Rosella’s kindness in giving the woman a drink, Ethelinda puts a spell on Rosella so jewels drop from her mouth whenever she speaks.  Her lazy twin sister, Myrtle, goes looking for the fairy hoping for a similar gift.  When Ethelinda appears to Myrtle as knight, Myrtle is selfish and unkind.  Ethelinda punishes her by having bugs and snakes come from her mouth when she speaks.  A prince asks Rosella to be his wife.  Rosella accepts and is mostly unhappy as the prince and her ladies-in-waiting are blinded by her gift.  Myrtle uses her gift to make the villagers give her whatever she wants because they do not want her unleash snakes and bugs into their lives.  Somehow the Fairy Ethelinda has made a mistake. Can she fix it so everyone can live happily ever after?

This is a humorous retelling of a traditional folk tale. Gail Carson Levine is surprisingly able to create characters who are not all good or all bad.  This book is a quick read, perfect for younger tweens who enjoy fairy tales and for students who need a fast AR point.  Myrtle is a strong female character who uses her punishment for her benefit and teaches Rosella how to stand up for herself.  While you may think that Myrtle is a mean character in the end she is the true heroine of the story for Rosella and for the people of her village.
 

If you like this book you may also like:  Princess Sonora and the Long Sleep, Ella Enchanted, Goose Chase.