STELLAR STORIES: Our Castle By the Sea

Our Castle by the Sea
By Lucy Strange
Chicken House/Scholastic, 2019. Fiction.

It's 1939 and Petra's coastal English town is being torn apart by the onslaught of World War II. Petra has always managed to feel safe at home in her family's lighthouse until her German-born mother is sent to an internment camp as a potential enemy alien and Pet's life begins to spiral. There is a mysterious, traitorous local cutting phone lines, German planes landing in nearby fields, and Petra's sister Magda who is clearly hiding something. The building action is highlighted by a strange ancient legend of the Daughters of Stone.

This tightly written novel is a deeply satisfying read - filled with twists and turns, memorable (if not likable) characters, and a wonderfully atmospheric setting. Historically accurate details underscore the main plot to leave readers wanting more. Reminiscent of THE WAR THAT SAVED MY LIFE, WOLF HOLLOW, and, somehow, Hercule Poirot novels - this is a very sophisticated book for middle grade readers. Readers will hurry through this propelling Stellar Story but the well-written sentences may warrant a second read.

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