The Enchanted Castle
By Cindy Kane,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Though dated, this still casts a potent spell.
Add rating
A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this book.
Where to Read
Community Reviews
There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.
What's the Story?
Four spirited children find an enchanted ring and embark on magical adventures. The ring, though, seems to have a mind of its own, and never behaves as they expect it to, leading to danger, comedy, mystery, and even a little romance between the grown-up characters. Though a bit dated, Nesbit's book still casts a potent spell.
Is It Any Good?
Nesbit wrote "surely the most wonderful books in the world," according to fantasy author Edward Eager; the magic is still here, though it has dimmed a bit over time. Almost 100 years have gone by since Jimmy told Kathleen, "You're just like a girl," and modern readers who expect the boys to learn a lesson about their occasional sexist sneers will be disappointed. Still, for children who like to act out the stories they read, this is like a travel guide for the imagination.
Nesbit was a contemporary of Oz author L. Frank Baum, but her novels have an important difference: The magic takes place in the real world, leading to comical misunderstandings such as ringleader Gerald's absurd dialogue with one dreadfully refined Ugly Wugly. H.R. Millar's drawings extend the text well, giving believable and pleasing portraits of the characters and firmly establishing the Edwardian setting.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the idea of magic in the real world. Do you find this story very believable? How does it compare with the magic of Narnia, Oz, or Tolkien's Middle-earth? What elements do the different stories have in common?
Book Details
- Author: E. Nesbit
- Illustrator: H. R. Millar
- Genre: Fantasy
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Penguin Group
- Publication date: January 1, 1907
- Number of pages: 291
- Last updated: July 14, 2015
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
Where to Read
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate