The Girl in the Castle Inside the Museum

by Kate Bernheimer, Nicoletta Ceccoli (Illustrator)

Once there was a girl who lived in a castle. The castle was inside a museum. When children visited, they’d press against the glass globe in which the castle sat, to glimpse the tiny girl. But when they went home, the girl was lonely. Then one day, she had an idea! What if you hung a picture of yourself inside the castle inside the museum, inside this book? Then you’d able to keep the girl company. Reminiscent of “The Lady of Shalot,” here is an original fairy tale that feels like a dream—haunting, beautiful, and completely unforgettable.

Genres: Picture Books, Fantasy, Childrens, Fiction, Art, Fairy Tales, Young Adult

40 pages, Hardcover

First published February 12, 2008

About the author

Kate Bernheimer is the author of three novels and the story collection Horse, Flower, Bird, as well as children's books. Among other books, she edited the World Fantasy Award winning My Mother She Killed Me, My Father He Ate Me: Forty New Fairy Tales and the forthcoming xo Orpheus: 50 New Myths.

Reviews

[s.penkevich [hiatus-will return-miss you all] · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fairy tales have always fascinated me, the whimsy and wonder usually bearing teeth in their shadowy sides and being both a nightmare and a daydream all at once. The Girl in the Castle Inside the Museum. Brings together the fairy tale sensibilities of Kate Bernheimer and the mesmerizing artwork of Nicoletta Ceccoli, a rather perfect pairing for a somber yet haunting picture book. Ceccoli’s art always blends a sad innocence with a vaguely dark and threatening aura, and it really shines here with the muted colors and MC Escher-esque architecture, but while this tale is told in hushed tones of loneliness and wonderment it comes off as a bit slight. Not that it ever bothered my oldest when they were a young child, as this was a staple at bedtime for awhile. But I mean, look at this lovely art:

As much as my oldest loved it, my youngest seems fairly uninterested though I’ve quite enjoyed rediscovering this quirky and soft book. If you’ve guessed it is about a girl that lives in a castle inside a museum, pat yourself on the back—you are correct! The girl loves all the children looking into her beautiful world, but when they leave for the night she is quite sad and lonely.

The story discusses her dreaming children to play with her, following her into her magical, miniature world in which she seems to be trapped. There isn’t much to go on here, but the writing is rather lovely and poetic. There is a page that has an empty picture frame in the girl’s room and invites you to attach a picture of your child so they can keep her company in the magical world. My oldest LOVED this part and it was adorable to find the photo in there after all these years. So overall, a bit of a light tale, but it hits some great notes. This is one of those picture books that feels more written for the adult reading it than the child hearing it, and while more would have been nice it does still register almost like a poem. Though the balance seems better in The Tear Thief which pairs Ceccoli’s art with the words of poet Carol Ann Duffy. The problem with being a rather weightless tale is sometimes there isn’t enough to ground it, but the art makes it all worth it and it’s a lovely bedtime story for kids who can handle something rather somber.

[karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

i first saw this book because of miriam's review, and then when ceridwen reviewed it, too, i just had to order it in to the store for me. and i totally agree with what ceridwen says about negative reviews being just as effective at helping another reader decide if a book is for them or not. i am pretty stubborn and self-motivated, when it comes to books, i like to make up my own mind. miriam didn't like it, ceridwen did, but i knew that cover art was calling to me, so i had to see it for myself.

and i'm glad i own it, because it is truly beautiful.

for me, the words are just an excuse for the pictures. to me, it is the book equivalent of city of lost children. i think it is beautiful, but i'd rather watch it with the sound off. and i think for the pictures alone, this book is worth a moment of your time.

ceridwen says (because this is somehow a review of ceridwen's review, not the book - ha) that she is never sure how to star-rate children's books - for the child, for the parent - i do not have children to read this to, so my rating is for me alone.

five stars for art - three for words.

make up your own minds.

come to my blog!

[Mir · Rating 2 out of 5]

A little arty, a little abstract, a little sad. I'm not sure to whom I would recommend this odd, brief little story of loneliness -- certainly not to children, it would be depressing and potentially upsetting.

I don't think everything distressing is necessarily inappropriate for children, but there are plenty of important real topics they should know about without inflicting this strange, artificial tale of a girl trapped alone in a model castle in a museum case upon them. When I was little it would have given me nightmares and probably caused heebie-jeebies about visiting the museum. The art was sort of interesting but I didn't get at all what the author wanted to do here.

[Isa · Rating 2 out of 5]

actual rating: 1.5 stars

What a disappointment :(
Those 1.5 stars are entirely awarded to the illustrations. Nicoletta Ceccoli deserved to illustrate an actual worthy story, not this... thing.

The story is absolutely pointless.
"Reminiscent of The Lady of Shalott'"? How? Because they were both in a tower?
"An original fairy tale"? Where? This was artsy fartsy stringed nonsense attempting to be taken as ~deep~.

There was absolutely no writing skill, very little imagination where the story is concerned, with no effort put into the writing, which is an incohesive mess.

I definitely do not recommend this to anyone. Oh, wait, I guess I recommend it to fans of Lang Leav.

Anyone else just flip through the book at a book store to see the illustrations. They were really pretty, Ceccoli has a gift, I hope I see more of her work.

[Amina (ⴰⵎⵉⵏⴰ) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The three stars are for the amazing illustrations, they're really great.
The story wasn't what I expected when reading the title. I found it to be a bit short, it is a children book, but I would've loved more events.

[Abigail · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was distinctly underwhelmed by this first children's book offering from Kate Bernheimer, the editor of the journal Fairy Tale Review, as well as such collections as Mirror, Mirror on the Wall: Women Writers Explore Their Favorite Fairy Tales and Brothers & Beasts: An Anthology of Men on Fairy Tales . I'm not sure what I was expecting - probably something more along the lines of an actual fairy-tale - but The Girl in the Castle Inside the Museum didn't have enough of a narrative to retain my interest. Bernheimer's text reads like a string of random statements, rather than a coherent story, and the reader will be hard-pressed to empathize with the girl's loneliness.

Nicoletta Ceccoli gorgeous mixed-media illustrations reminded me somewhat of the work of Ukrainian artist Vladyslav Yerko, which is high praise. But the delightful artwork simply wasn't enough, in the end, to compensate for the absence of wonder in Bernheimer's story.

[Javi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my god, this was really magical. I loved it 😍

[Lisa Vegan · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a peculiar and rather creepy book. I do think some young children would enjoy this but I’d be cautious about introducing it to children who are very sensitive or who easily over empathize with others.

It’s a sad story that the gimmick of the child/children reader(s) putting their photo in the book toward the end (to be company for the lonely girl trapped in the castle inside the museum) doesn’t suffice to make it an consoling or uplifting experience, at least it wouldn’t have for me when I was young and it wouldn’t for many kids I have known and know now.

The pictures are truly exquisite, if a bit odd. The story is certainly imaginative and ripe for discussion, and I do love the fact that it takes place in a museum where children routinely visit. I was introduced to museums at a fairly young age and I love taking kids to museums (of various types) now, and I'm a sucker for stories that take place in museums too.

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inside the Castle inside a Museum that is Inside the Story that is this book, which was inside the imagination of Kate Bernheimer and Nicoletta Ceccoli. Dreamers inside dreams who have dreams wherein the reader is brought to mind.
The story and its images would defy the dimensions of a page. Ceccoli plays with dimensions (some Escheresque details), media, and shadows, while Bernheimer acknowledges the reader in a theatrical violation of the fourth wall. The story resides in simultaneity, multiple planes living and interacting. Reader and character alike are enlivened; the reader inspired to dream by the one they would dream about.
Even if the reader doesn’t leave their photograph in the frame on the girl’s wall, the reader has already kept her company.
The Girl inside the Castle inside the Museum is an equal parts disturbing and enchanting fairytale. I highly recommend it.

L @ omphaloskepsis

http://contemplatrix.wordpress.com/20...

[Just a Girl Fighting Censorship · Rating 5 out of 5]

Creepy, weird, whimsical, strange, almost off-putting...I loved it! Everything about this was so interesting and unique. I'm shocked Tim Burton hasn't tried to make this into a movie.

[Angelina · Rating 4 out of 5]

The 4th star is for the stunning illustrations.

[Andi Lo · Rating 5 out of 5]

La historia es un tanto corta pero conmovedora. Disfruté mucho las ilustraciones, fue algo así como entrar en la historia.

[Philip · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I moved my introduction to the end of the review, since it was a bit long and boring...

First of all, the illustrations. Obviously. They were simply haunting, beautiful, disturbing and altogether fantastic. Like the porcelain dolls at that bed 'n breakfast. You know the one, you're worried they'll come alive, but somehow you're hoping for it as well because they're sad and lonely and beautiful. ...I'm not talking about the creepy porcelain dolls. ... the ones that you're afraid will come to life and murder you in your sleep.

The story was alright, obviously there's not a lot of time for character development in children's stories, but I thought the author did just fine.

There's a girl who lives in a castle inside a museum. Children come to the museum hoping to catch a glimpse of her. She's inside her magical castle dreaming of the children on the outside.

I don't know the background of the story, but I like to believe there's a castle in a museum somewhere, and the curator made up this story about a girl living inside. She tells the story to the young kids who come to the museum, and they're always trying to see the girl as she peeks her head out the window. The curator smiles to herself as some kids leave believing they caught a glimpse of the girl. It's a flea circus, and even though there are no fleas, some kids are certain they saw one jump.

The story takes it a step farther though, the curator was wrong. The girl does exist. And while the curator (and children who believe) on the outside dreams up the existence of the girl, the girl is inside dreaming up the existence of them. ...It reminded me of Zhuangzi's butterfly dream...

"Once Zhuangzi dreamt he was a butterfly, a butterfly flitting and fluttering around, happy with himself and doing as he pleased. He didn't know he was Zhuangzi. Suddenly he woke up and there he was, solid and unmistakable Zhuangzi. But he didn't know if he was Zhuangzi who had dreamt he was a butterfly, or a butterfly dreaming he was Zhuangzi."

There's a kitschy part at the end where the reader can add a photo so the princess can look out as well. Perhaps it adds a bit of romantic irony to the book, but I thought it took away from the surrealism...

It was interesting anyway, interesting enough to review and count as one of my 86 books for 2011.

*The introduction* I realize I've been reviewing quite a few children's books lately, and sometimes I feel like that is cheating - my goodreads goal is 86 books by the end of the year. Of course, it only counts the books I review... my policy had always been only review the children's books that you've read 5 times... but then, tonight when I read what? 9 Children's books - including, but not limited to:

I Love the Alphabet
Froggy Loves Books
Baby's Very First Colors Book
The Foot Book
Some Fancy Nancy, an Eloise story that I made up on the spot... you get the idea...

I decided I'd review my favorite one. Second place wasn't bad either, Where's My Mommy? - but this one's my favorite. Here's why:

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a picture book unlike any book I've ever read. The premise is that there is a girl who lives in a castle inside a museum. The castle is encased in a glass globe, and when children come to the musem, they press their noses against the glass globe and get a glimpse of the girl in the castle. When the children leave at night, she gets lonely even though she is surrounded by beautiful things. At night she dreams of children her own size visiting her, and "sometimes the girl in the castle even dreams about you." Her solution for overcoming her loneliness is to hang a picture of you, the reader, on the wall beside her bed. The last line of the book, "Do you see her? She sees you." EEEK!


I really like it because it is different, and has an ethereal, dream-like aura that takes me to another world. Nicoletta Ceccoli's soft clay model, acrylic, and digital media illustrations are absolutely gorgeous, and in fact, they are the most beautiful illustrations I've seen in a picture book yet. They, along with the story, will captivate the reader.



Kate Bernheimer has hit a home run with her first children's book, and I will definitely look for more from her in future. I think many kids will love it, but I would be wary of reading it to smaller kids who may be a little frightened at the thought of the girl watching them. However, some kids totally eat stuff like this up, so I'll leave it up to you to decide whether or not it's the right choice for your child.

[Becky · Rating 2 out of 5]

If I were to give a review based on illustrations alone, then The Girl in the Castle Inside the Museum would be five stars. Sadly though, the actual story is lacking.

The concept of The Girl in the Castle Inside the Museum is brilliant. It's a story of a little doll that lives in a castle inside a display globe at the museum. She's very curious about the children who come to see her. She's also very lonely when they go home, and dreams about having friends. Again, it's a beautiful concept, but I wish that the author would have developed the story and made it longer.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Giving this four stars for my daughter who deemed it "cool" (that's a four in kidspeak) and confirmed it would make a fun gift book for girls 6+

Anyone who's ever stood as I did as a girl looking into Colleen Moore's scale Fairy Castle at the Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago has imagined the girl in the castle inside the museum and will be pleased to meet her! For kids who have never seen such a thing, this book is possibly the next best thing!


Take the Tour!

What you might see: murals and paintings painted by Walt Disney himself; chandeliers adorned with real diamonds, emeralds and pearls; a tiny bible, dating back to 1840; and ancient statues more than 2,000 years old! Impossible to look at and not imagine yourself or someone else small enough to be inside?


Colleen Moore
author of
Silent Star Colleen Moore Talks About Her Hollywood

[Alia · Rating 2 out of 5]

The art here is lovely, so lovely that I had the urge to rip out the pages to hang them framed on my wall. And since there's really no substance to the text, maybe that wouldn't be such a bad idea. As much as I loved the illustrations, I think the story (about a lonely princess in a castle who dreams about children visiting her) was sort of boring and lacked kid appeal. The inside cover calls it an original fairy tale but the book lacks any of the traditional fairy tale elements aside from the fact that there's a princess in a castle. I can imagine kids wanting to look at the detailed pictures and not really caring about the rest.

[L.S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

The illustrations. The drawings of Nicoletta Ceccoli are amazing. "Delicate" and "tender" are good words for describing them. But I feel also a closeness to the drawings - this may be because of the way she draws the faces: big with un-realistic distance between the eyes & mouth (remember the licking pets?). If you want to see more of her work, try here: http://bit.ly/bDLyd9.

The book. The idea of the story is okay, the "dreams" that the girl inside the museum castle is excellent. But the way are put in the book is pretty lamentable: short and dry sentences.

ps: Oare di ce n-o fost in stare astia de la nemira sa scrie corect numele ilustratorului?

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

The illustrations in this book are absolutely amazing. I would frame every picture in this book if I could. Oddly, the moment I saw the pictures I thought, "This is like a kid friendly version of Dali." I am glad I read this book without reading any reviews first. Personally, the haunting/fantasy/gothic-like tone in this book is actually a nice change! Some children would really appreciate this! It is a FAR cry from --the happy bear lived in a happy house and everyone was oh-so-happy.

This book should be appreciated for what it is, unique! Both the author and illustrator did a fabulous job reaching out to children and adults who can appreciate this style of writing and art work.

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not sure what to think of this. I definitely liked the illustrations, which were fuzzy around the edges like a dream and filled with fantastic images. There really wasn't a plot; it seemed to be more of an attempt by the author to create a story within a story or a book within a book, to make the reader feel like they're part of the story. It didn't quite work for me. I can see that it might appeal to children who like fantasy and fairy tales.

[Amy · Rating 1 out of 5]

the story and illustrations are grasping way too hard, trying desperately to hold, illuminate and share the sweet magic of childhood...

it's like you're being conked on the head with a long, heartfelt *sigh*

blah

imagination ought not be so silky and powdery and never so listlessly packaged.

[Katharine Ott · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The Girl in the Castle Inside the Museum" - written by Kate Bernheimer, illustrated by Nicoletta Ceccoli, and published in 2008 by Schwartz & Wade Books, an imprint of Random House Children's Books. Such a lovely, dreamy story, with lovely, dreamy illustrations! The brief wording serves to engage and ignite imagination, and the soft browns and greens are a nice accent. I thought it was great!

[Marjorie Ingall · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wanted to love it. Didn't. The text was un-involving; the art, while beautiful, was just too achingly self-consciously, otherworldly, whispery woo-woo for me. I wasn't engaged. I'll see if my 7-year-old or 4-year-old loves it, but I'm gonna guess no.

[Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very sweet - my daughter would have insisted on her picture being put in the book Right Now. Possibly a hair creepy, from an adult-who-reads-Gaiman perspective. The illustrations are lovely, but I can see them being scary in the dark.

[Villain E · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was attracted to the art and the title. I was hoping for a light fantasy fairy tale but nothing much happens. There's a girl inside a castle, which is a minature inside a museum, which is inside this book. She's lonely and likes when you visit.

[GraceAnne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lovely, odd. I couldn't decide if I found it mysterious, surreal, or just ... weird.

[CLM · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like the illustrations but the story was sad and lonely. I don't think my nephews or nieces would find it appealing.

[Hope Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute, read it together with my niece.

[Remy · Rating 3 out of 5]

i wanna eat nicoletta ceccoli's art

[Alkisti · Rating 2 out of 5]

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