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A remarkable story about love, loss and the power of the imagination, from an award-winning, celebrated writer for children.
On a frozen Christmas Eve, Mouse Mallory and his family set off across a snow-white valley to visit his grandparents.
They never arrive.
As the wheels skid off the icy road, Mouse is thrown from the car. When he wakes, he finds himself in a magical landscape, with only a talkative sheep and a very bossy horse for company.
And they tell him: this is your story now.
So begins Mouse’s extraordinary quest through a world of wonder. A world of monsters, minstrels, dangerous knights and mysterious wizards; a world of terrifying danger but also more excitement than Mouse has ever known.
All to find a castle, somewhere, beyond.
But why is Mouse looking for a castle? As thoughts of his family back at the car begin to surface, Mouse realises this might be the most important journey he will ever make …
This is a novel about love and death. It’s about the power of stories to change the way we view the world – and it’s about the power of a child to change their own world. Emotionally arresting but ultimately uplifting, this is a remarkable novel for our times.
On a frozen Christmas Eve, Mouse Mallory and his family set off across a snow-white valley to visit his grandparents.
They never arrive.
As the wheels skid off the icy road, Mouse is thrown from the car. When he wakes, he finds himself in a magical landscape, with only a talkative sheep and a very bossy horse for company.
And they tell him: this is your story now.
So begins Mouse’s extraordinary quest through a world of wonder. A world of monsters, minstrels, dangerous knights and mysterious wizards; a world of terrifying danger but also more excitement than Mouse has ever known.
All to find a castle, somewhere, beyond.
But why is Mouse looking for a castle? As thoughts of his family back at the car begin to surface, Mouse realises this might be the most important journey he will ever make …
This is a novel about love and death. It’s about the power of stories to change the way we view the world – and it’s about the power of a child to change their own world. Emotionally arresting but ultimately uplifting, this is a remarkable novel for our times.
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Reviews
A fantastical and surprising allegory, There May Be A Castle is unlike any other book for children dealing with the subjects of death, family and the power to shape your own stories. Heart-warming, heart-wrenching and, at times, quite bizarre, this is another fantastical tale from Piers Torday and not one to miss
Piers Torday is the new master of books for children who like magic and modernity with their lust for adventure ... Torday understands the lot of the younger sibling, the power of the imagination to heal and the strong, irregular rhythms of grief
Piers Torday continues to demonstrate that he is one of the best writers for children working today
Not many books change readers' views of the world, this might be one of them.
Brimming with humour and excitement ... beautifully described and the tension never breaks
A gripping, memorable adventure which celebrates the power and scope of our imagination
Heart-warming and heart-wrenching ... another fantastic tale from Piers Torday and one not to miss.
Original, ingenious and bold ... I am still reeling.
A remarkable story of about love and loss from the winner of the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize
Mesmerising and overwhelming with emotion.
There May be a Castle beats its own path i nsome clever unpredictable ways... This book is not afraid to that an unknown corner and see what lurks there.
The narrative is skillfully strung together and the ending deeply surprising, challenging the norms of what might be expected in a children's novel, which is all to the good.
Heartbreaking, surprising, uplifting - Mouse's snowbound journey is one you'll remember for a long, long time. There May Be a Castle proves that stories matter. They really do
If you were to dislike this book, I would not be your friend!
An outstanding book and a future classic
Original in its accurate representation of the actual experience of children and its satirical approach to the fantastical ... this novel works emotional truth and tension into its adventure and comedy
Full marks ... for a story not afraid to take on some of the fundamentals of life while still managing to preserve the lightest of touches
Piers Torday...is the new master of books for children who like magic and modernity with their lust for adventure.
A magical new adventure from the winner of the Guardian Children's Fiction prize.