Castle Hangnail

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Author(s)
Publisher
Age Range
8+
Release Date
April 21, 2015
ISBN
978-0803741294
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From the creator of Dragonbreath comes a tale of witches, minions, and one fantastic castle, just right for fans of Roald Dahl and Tom Angleberger. When Molly shows up on Castle Hangnail's doorstep to fill the vacancy for a wicked witch, the castle's minions are understandably dubious. After all, she is twelve years old, barely five feet tall, and quite polite. (The minions are used to tall, demanding evil sorceresses with razor-sharp cheekbones.) But the castle desperately needs a master or else the Board of Magic will decommission it, leaving all the minions without the home they love. So when Molly assures them she is quite wicked indeed (So wicked! REALLY wicked!) and begins completing the tasks required by the Board of Magic for approval, everyone feels hopeful. Unfortunately, it turns out that Molly has quite a few secrets, including the biggest one of all: that she isn't who she says she is. This quirky, richly illustrated novel is filled with humor, magic, and an unforgettable all-star cast of castle characters.

From the creator of Dragonbreath comes a tale of witches, minions, and one fantastic castle, just right for fans of Roald Dahl and Tom Angleberger. When Molly shows up on Castle Hangnail's doorstep to fill the vacancy for a wicked witch, the castle's minions are understandably dubious. After all, she is twelve years old, barely five feet tall, and quite polite. (The minions are used to tall, demanding evil sorceresses with razor-sharp cheekbones.) But the castle desperately needs a master or else the Board of Magic will decommission it, leaving all the minions without the home they love. So when Molly assures them she is quite wicked indeed (So wicked! REALLY wicked!) and begins completing the tasks required by the Board of Magic for approval, everyone feels hopeful. Unfortunately, it turns out that Molly has quite a few secrets, including the biggest one of all: that she isn't who she says she is. This quirky, richly illustrated novel is filled with humor, magic, and an unforgettable all-star cast of castle characters.

Editor reviews

2 reviews
Magicial middle grade
Overall rating
 
4.0
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Even if twelve-year-old Molly doesn’t look like a Wicked Witch, she is indeed one, and she is ready to fulfill the vacant witch spot at Castle Hangnail. Once there, she must convince the staff that are slowly becoming family as well as the Board of Magic that she is fit to run a haunted castle. The only problem is, she may have lied about her identity, and she has a few other secrets she hasn’t mentioned that could get her in trouble.

Castle Hangnail is an adorably quirky read full of friendship, magic, humor, and complete entertainment. Molly is the kind of protagonist that both young and adult readers can enjoy. She desperately wants to prove her worth, and above all, she is seeking people who understand her and accept her as she is, ‘wicked’ and all. The cast of characters is a wonderful mixture of a hilarious and strict cook, a lovable doll whose expertise is in sewing, a guardian of the castle who wants to follow the rules, and many more. By the end of the story, it is easy to feel that they are your own family.

The plot is engaging and fresh, full of magical tasks, not limited but including a good smite, and even an Evil Sorceress. Readers will have a difficult time not being wholly interested in this laugh-out-loud and heart-warming story. In addition to the magical elements, there are also traces of realistic family relationships between Molly, her ‘good’ twin, and her parents.

The illustrations are a nice touch, though the art style isn’t my favorite. They do add a nice touch of dark edge to the story and give a great idea of what the characters look like.

All in all, Ursula Vernon’s Castle Hangnail is a magical story, perfect for fans of Eva Ibbotson, that will capture the hearts of many readers. I will be definitely be looking for more from this author.
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