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The Matchstick Castle
A wild and whimsical adventure story, perfect for fans of Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library
Brian can think of a few places he'd rather spend his summer than with his aunt and uncle in Boring, Illinois. Jail, for example. Or an earplug factory. Anything would be better than doing summer school on a computer while his scientist dad is stationed at the South Pole.
Boring lives up to its name until Brian and his cousin Nora have a fight, get lost, and discover a huge, wooden house in the forest. With balconies, turrets, and windows seemingly stuck on at random, it looks ready to fall over in the next stiff breeze. To the madcap, eccentric family that lives inside, it’s not just a home—it’s a castle.
Suddenly, summer gets a lot more exciting. With their new friends, Brian and Nora tangle with giant wasps, sharp-tusked wild boars, and a crazed bureaucrat intent on bringing the dangerously dilapidated old house down with a wrecking ball.
This funny, fantastical story will resonate with any reader who’s ever wished a little adventure would find them.
"For boys and girls alike, this story sings.”—Blue Balliett, award-winning author of Chasing Vermeer
Brian can think of a few places he'd rather spend his summer than with his aunt and uncle in Boring, Illinois. Jail, for example. Or an earplug factory. Anything would be better than doing summer school on a computer while his scientist dad is stationed at the South Pole.
Boring lives up to its name until Brian and his cousin Nora have a fight, get lost, and discover a huge, wooden house in the forest. With balconies, turrets, and windows seemingly stuck on at random, it looks ready to fall over in the next stiff breeze. To the madcap, eccentric family that lives inside, it’s not just a home—it’s a castle.
Suddenly, summer gets a lot more exciting. With their new friends, Brian and Nora tangle with giant wasps, sharp-tusked wild boars, and a crazed bureaucrat intent on bringing the dangerously dilapidated old house down with a wrecking ball.
This funny, fantastical story will resonate with any reader who’s ever wished a little adventure would find them.
"For boys and girls alike, this story sings.”—Blue Balliett, award-winning author of Chasing Vermeer
Audible Audio
First published January 10, 2017
34 people are currently reading
508 people want to read
About the author
Keir Graff
21 books49 followersKeir Graff is the author of One Nation, Under God, My Fellow Americans, and, writing as Michael McCulloch, Cold Lessons. His short stories have appeared in a wide variety of publications. He lives in Chicago."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 125 reviews
March 10, 2023
4.5 stars. This book was great. It made my daughter and I laugh out loud at times. And the story was really fun. We would love to spend a day with the van Dash’s in The Matchstick castle!
October 21, 2017
Yep, I'm going to say it: this is my favourite middle-grade audiobook this year. So much fun! I love books with weird or changing houses, and this one definitely fits the bill. If I would've read this as a kid I would have saved up my money to buy it. And even back then I was a tightwad frugal.
My 16 year old son's rating: 4 stars (he's never given 5 stars)
My 11 year old son's rating: 5 stars
My 5 year old son's rating: 5 billion out of 5 billion
My 16 year old son's rating: 4 stars (he's never given 5 stars)
My 11 year old son's rating: 5 stars
My 5 year old son's rating: 5 billion out of 5 billion
February 6, 2020
This was a fun filled bedtime read with my favourite 9 year old!
March 3, 2017
What a magical book! From start to finish, this unique adventure had the kids (8 and 10) and I enthralled. We loved the quirky cast of characters, especially in the context of Boring, IL and its unimaginative citizens. There was plenty at stake for both Brian and the van Dash family throughout the story, which kept us engaged and guessing, and we got so much satisfaction out of the outcome. The kids were biting their nails by the last few chapters, and literally cheered when they heard the ending.
I read THE MATCHSTICK CASTLE aloud to the kids during our vacation week, mostly because we couldn't agree on who got to have it first, but my 10-year old has already moved the book to her bedside table to read again. It's already a favorite in our house, and I can't recommend it enough.
I read THE MATCHSTICK CASTLE aloud to the kids during our vacation week, mostly because we couldn't agree on who got to have it first, but my 10-year old has already moved the book to her bedside table to read again. It's already a favorite in our house, and I can't recommend it enough.
November 22, 2016
It was okay, though lacking in originality. Normally, this would have rated it three stars, but, at the beginning of the book, Brian's dad goes off to Antarctica...in the summer. Flights to Antarctica in summer are exceedingly rare, undertaken only for emergencies and flying out someone who has broken a hand and the opposite arm. Most flights that far south are only done during the months of October through March because that's when the can be. Basically, that one small factual mis-step, which could have been changed with no impact to the story, colored my perception of the book as a whole.
January 29, 2017
I think that children in 3rd-5th grade would find this book very exciting and funny. I did! This book falls into the realistic fiction category but some of the characters' viewpoints and actions were over the top (in a good way).
March 13, 2017
Listened to audiobook - satisfying family listen.
July 16, 2018
We listened to this as an audiobook at my 10 yo's suggestion. It was kind of fun, I guess, but pointless. I kept hoping the author would introduce some sort of depth to the story, but I was disappointed. None of the characters grow or change in any way, and it's not for lack of opportunity! I kept having to stop the disc and point out the ridiculous decisions the characters were making, some of which were just plain bad choices - like two 12 year old kids getting into a car with people they barely know in the middle of the night to go break into a government building. This occurs without even so much as a second thought from the main character and has no repercussions within the story.
The bad guy, when you finally meet him, is just bad to be bad and any reasonable justification the author might have thrown in there to make him multi dimensional gets thrown out the window when he goes crazy and tries to mow down a house full of people with a bulldozer.
I think the author was probably going for a fun middle-grade adventure story, but I just wound up irritated and bored.
Didclaimer: when I pointed all this out to my 10 yo she said I take all the fun out of things. She's allowed to like whatever she wants, but it's important she knows the difference between a quality book and pure fluff.
The bad guy, when you finally meet him, is just bad to be bad and any reasonable justification the author might have thrown in there to make him multi dimensional gets thrown out the window when he goes crazy and tries to mow down a house full of people with a bulldozer.
I think the author was probably going for a fun middle-grade adventure story, but I just wound up irritated and bored.
Didclaimer: when I pointed all this out to my 10 yo she said I take all the fun out of things. She's allowed to like whatever she wants, but it's important she knows the difference between a quality book and pure fluff.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 27, 2023
The Matchstick Castle
Overall Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ (3/5) or 6.0/10 overall
Characters - 6
Quirky and entertaining but not the most interesting and relatable.
Atmosphere - 6
Very obvious shift in tone between the Matchstick Castle and the other houses in Boring. It made the house stick out but not in an annoying way.
Writing - 7
Decent but the style didn't connect with me as much
Plot - 5
Pretty predictable; still funny but not overly so.
Intrigue - 6
I was intrigued at the beginning but as it became more predictable it got less intriguing since I could figure out the ending.
Logic - 6
Kind of logical but also entirely wacky. I think that was the style of the Matchstick Castle itself tbh
Enjoyment - 6
The way it was set up, the choice to explore the Matchstick Castle seemed too obvious. I think it would have been more interesting if there were either other choices besides Summer's Cool and the Matchstick Castle, or if there were some reason to want to stay at Uncle Gary's house because no one wants to do summer school so any alternative is better. If there were more factors the dynamics between the characters could have been more intriguing and it would have given the story an added layer of choice. That just kind of bugged me as much as the giant wasps the whole time. :/
Overall Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ (3/5) or 6.0/10 overall
Characters - 6
Quirky and entertaining but not the most interesting and relatable.
Atmosphere - 6
Very obvious shift in tone between the Matchstick Castle and the other houses in Boring. It made the house stick out but not in an annoying way.
Writing - 7
Decent but the style didn't connect with me as much
Plot - 5
Pretty predictable; still funny but not overly so.
Intrigue - 6
I was intrigued at the beginning but as it became more predictable it got less intriguing since I could figure out the ending.
Logic - 6
Kind of logical but also entirely wacky. I think that was the style of the Matchstick Castle itself tbh
Enjoyment - 6
The way it was set up, the choice to explore the Matchstick Castle seemed too obvious. I think it would have been more interesting if there were either other choices besides Summer's Cool and the Matchstick Castle, or if there were some reason to want to stay at Uncle Gary's house because no one wants to do summer school so any alternative is better. If there were more factors the dynamics between the characters could have been more intriguing and it would have given the story an added layer of choice. That just kind of bugged me as much as the giant wasps the whole time. :/
February 7, 2017
Check out this and other reviews on my young adult book blog, Here's to Happy Endings!
*Actual Rating: 3.5 Stars*
The Matchstick Castle is a middle grade adventure that reminded me a bit of Alice in Wonderland because of the ridiculous things that were going on in it (more on that later), and while I really thought the theme would make me fall in love with the book, I had a few problems really getting into it. While The Matchstick Castle was definitely a fun middle grade read, I did have a bit of a difficult time connecting to the book's characters.
While there might be a town called Boring in the book, The Matchstick Castle was anything but boring. There was something neat going on in every chapter throughout the entire book, keeping you engrossed in the story and eager to find out what happens next.
Brian's father is going to spend the summer in the South Pole, where he is being sent to make nifty scientific discoveries. Brian is all for it - after all, his dad is really involved in his job and loves what he does, plus Brian figures he will be able to stay with a friend or someone close and have the chance to have a fantastic and adventure filled summer. But when Brian's father drops the bombshell that Brian will be staying with his Uncle Gary in a town called Boring, Illinois, Brian is devastated. He doesn't really know his aunt and uncle that well, and the last time that he spent with his cousin Nora didn't go very well, so he isn't sure what his summer is going to entail.
Turns out, his uncle Gary has created a software program called "Summer's Cool," in which Brian and Nora will spend their summer vacation waking up early and spending their day similarly to a regular school day, only in front of their computers learning. Talk about boring.
So when Brian goes into the woods and has an interesting encounter with a wild boar, the first thing his cousin and uncle tell him is never to go into the woods. The woods, they say, are off limits.
When Nora and Brian have a fight one day, they run into the woods anyway, and discover a huge house, with mixed up construction and a weird design, as well as a boat on the roof. Yes. A boat. Seven stories up.
When they knock, no one answers, so they make their way inside, only to be met by a young boy who is their age. This boy, Cosmo, is thrilled to see them, and immediately enlists their help to remove a bunch of huge, exotic wasps from the house.
When Brian and Nora help Cosmo with the task, and meet some other members of Cosmo's family, they realize that they enjoy being around them, and find ways to go back into the woods, despite their uncle grounding them.
However, when Brian opens a piece of a mail that he accidentally picks up from Cosmo's house, he learns that the town plans to demolish the Matchstick Castle, and so he tries to help the best that he can, including sneaking out in the middle of the night so that his uncle and aunt do not notice that he and Nora have left.
The Matchstick Castle is full of ridiculous banter, funny jokes, and is a perfect summer read for middle graders (or anyone, really).
For some reason, even though this book made me laugh and I liked the story, I found myself having a hard time connecting to any of the characters within. They weren't poorly written, and they had substance instead of just being flat, but some of the members of Cosmo's family - his uncles, for example - just kind of all blended together to me, and I couldn't tell them apart. This wasn't a problem, as the author always provided reference as to whom was speaking, but I guess I just wish that their personalities were a bit different from one another.
Also, Uncle Gary and Aunt Jenny were just annoying, and I kind of thought they were boring. Also, they were just oblivious and kind of downright mean sometimes.
Aside from having a difficult time caring about many of the characters in this book, I did really enjoy my time spent within the Matchstick Castle. It was really interesting (and quite amazing) to see how the author put so many things together to create this amazing, fantastical house.
The Matchstick Castle is a lot different than a lot of other middle grade novels that I have read lately, as most of them have been highly emotional or dealing with social and family issues, while this book was more on the lighter side of things. So if you're looking for a quick pick me up after reading a few heavier titles, I can see this working out well for you!
Note: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review - Thank you!
*Actual Rating: 3.5 Stars*
The Matchstick Castle is a middle grade adventure that reminded me a bit of Alice in Wonderland because of the ridiculous things that were going on in it (more on that later), and while I really thought the theme would make me fall in love with the book, I had a few problems really getting into it. While The Matchstick Castle was definitely a fun middle grade read, I did have a bit of a difficult time connecting to the book's characters.
"It was going to be epic: the all-time, best summer ever.
Instead, I ended up in Boring, Illinois.
No, I'm not kidding. There's a town called Boring. And it is."
While there might be a town called Boring in the book, The Matchstick Castle was anything but boring. There was something neat going on in every chapter throughout the entire book, keeping you engrossed in the story and eager to find out what happens next.
Brian's father is going to spend the summer in the South Pole, where he is being sent to make nifty scientific discoveries. Brian is all for it - after all, his dad is really involved in his job and loves what he does, plus Brian figures he will be able to stay with a friend or someone close and have the chance to have a fantastic and adventure filled summer. But when Brian's father drops the bombshell that Brian will be staying with his Uncle Gary in a town called Boring, Illinois, Brian is devastated. He doesn't really know his aunt and uncle that well, and the last time that he spent with his cousin Nora didn't go very well, so he isn't sure what his summer is going to entail.
Turns out, his uncle Gary has created a software program called "Summer's Cool," in which Brian and Nora will spend their summer vacation waking up early and spending their day similarly to a regular school day, only in front of their computers learning. Talk about boring.
So when Brian goes into the woods and has an interesting encounter with a wild boar, the first thing his cousin and uncle tell him is never to go into the woods. The woods, they say, are off limits.
When Nora and Brian have a fight one day, they run into the woods anyway, and discover a huge house, with mixed up construction and a weird design, as well as a boat on the roof. Yes. A boat. Seven stories up.
When they knock, no one answers, so they make their way inside, only to be met by a young boy who is their age. This boy, Cosmo, is thrilled to see them, and immediately enlists their help to remove a bunch of huge, exotic wasps from the house.
When Brian and Nora help Cosmo with the task, and meet some other members of Cosmo's family, they realize that they enjoy being around them, and find ways to go back into the woods, despite their uncle grounding them.
However, when Brian opens a piece of a mail that he accidentally picks up from Cosmo's house, he learns that the town plans to demolish the Matchstick Castle, and so he tries to help the best that he can, including sneaking out in the middle of the night so that his uncle and aunt do not notice that he and Nora have left.
The Matchstick Castle is full of ridiculous banter, funny jokes, and is a perfect summer read for middle graders (or anyone, really).
For some reason, even though this book made me laugh and I liked the story, I found myself having a hard time connecting to any of the characters within. They weren't poorly written, and they had substance instead of just being flat, but some of the members of Cosmo's family - his uncles, for example - just kind of all blended together to me, and I couldn't tell them apart. This wasn't a problem, as the author always provided reference as to whom was speaking, but I guess I just wish that their personalities were a bit different from one another.
Also, Uncle Gary and Aunt Jenny were just annoying, and I kind of thought they were boring. Also, they were just oblivious and kind of downright mean sometimes.
Aside from having a difficult time caring about many of the characters in this book, I did really enjoy my time spent within the Matchstick Castle. It was really interesting (and quite amazing) to see how the author put so many things together to create this amazing, fantastical house.
The Matchstick Castle is a lot different than a lot of other middle grade novels that I have read lately, as most of them have been highly emotional or dealing with social and family issues, while this book was more on the lighter side of things. So if you're looking for a quick pick me up after reading a few heavier titles, I can see this working out well for you!
Note: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review - Thank you!
March 24, 2018
Not my favorite - the plot was all in service of the concept of this cool house. Would have been a better short story, where things like no motive or reason for Uncle Gary to be such a miserable sod can go without explanation.
October 9, 2019
This is a fun book for middle school readers!
July 25, 2017
So many crazy adventures! Kids will enjoy the story.
December 18, 2021
This book is about a boy named Brian, who spends the summer with his aunt, uncle, and cousin in boring, Illinois. He kicks his soccer ball over the fence and into the the woods. He follows the soccer ball into the woods, and finds a path. the path takes him to a huge house. What happens next? Read this book to find out.
November 29, 2016
What's the worst fate that can befall you as you get ready to enter middle school? Find out that you will be spending the summer with your uncle and his family in the town of Boring, Illinois. And it lives up the name. Poor Brian is sent to stay with his Uncle Gary, Aunt Jenny, and his cousin Nora while his father is off to Antarctica. It's bad enough that he will be away from home, his brothers, his friends, and the soccer tournament he was training for, but Uncle Gary designs educational software and makes Nora and Brian act as his test subjects. School every day of the summer!
Just when things seem really bleak, Brian and Nora accidentally discover the Matchstick Castle and the van Dash family who live in it. Suddenly they have more adventure than they could ever expect. The house sits on old mining tunnels and caves. The house itself is filled with hidden doorways and strange hallways. There is a ship on the roof (in case of flood), a submarine in the tunnels, and a larger than life family who are all famous explorers, adventurers, writers, etc. When a local city planner has the house condemned and schedules it for demolition, it is time to fight back and defend the castle.
This story is fun in many different ways. There are the wacky characters of the van Dash family who are always digging for lost gold, working on a new novel, trying to domesticate wild boars, and other unusual activities. Brian's despair over being stuck at a computer screen studying all summer is humorous, since we are not the ones trapped in that room listening to the animated Dara and Darrell and their annoying computer-generated voices. And the house itself, the Matchstick Castle, is so full of carrier pigeons, doors that lead nowhere, fire poles, and hammocks that it seems to have been designed by the architects of the The 13-Storey Treehouse.
Great for fans of the Treehouse books (by Andy Griffiths) and similar tales. Highly recommended for middle grade readers who enjoy humorous stories.
I read an e-book provided by the publisher through NetGalley.
Just when things seem really bleak, Brian and Nora accidentally discover the Matchstick Castle and the van Dash family who live in it. Suddenly they have more adventure than they could ever expect. The house sits on old mining tunnels and caves. The house itself is filled with hidden doorways and strange hallways. There is a ship on the roof (in case of flood), a submarine in the tunnels, and a larger than life family who are all famous explorers, adventurers, writers, etc. When a local city planner has the house condemned and schedules it for demolition, it is time to fight back and defend the castle.
This story is fun in many different ways. There are the wacky characters of the van Dash family who are always digging for lost gold, working on a new novel, trying to domesticate wild boars, and other unusual activities. Brian's despair over being stuck at a computer screen studying all summer is humorous, since we are not the ones trapped in that room listening to the animated Dara and Darrell and their annoying computer-generated voices. And the house itself, the Matchstick Castle, is so full of carrier pigeons, doors that lead nowhere, fire poles, and hammocks that it seems to have been designed by the architects of the The 13-Storey Treehouse.
Great for fans of the Treehouse books (by Andy Griffiths) and similar tales. Highly recommended for middle grade readers who enjoy humorous stories.
I read an e-book provided by the publisher through NetGalley.
December 18, 2017
Brian is thinking he just might be in danger of dying of boredom in Boring, Illinois this summer. His dad finally got cleared to go to Antarctica to use the telescope, so Brian finds all his summer plans ruined. He's now stuck with his boring Aunt & Uncle and cousin Nora in Boring, Illinois. His Uncle is making Brian and Nora test his School's Fun summer school online program. There's no one to play soccer with, and Nora's idea of fun during free time is to write in her notebook. Things start to look a bit more exciting when Brian chases his soccer ball into the woods and discovers a very strange house harboring a most unusual family next door, and it just might be up to Brian and Nora to save them from destruction.
What kid doesn't dream of wandering into the woods and finding a weird and wonderful house to explore? I would've LOVED this story as a child; it feeds all my wished for adventure fantasies. The wild house full of unexpected building patterns and adventures and an eccentric family is like a mashup of Castle Glower and Mrs Piggle-Wiggle's upside down house, with a family of Pippi Longstocking plus the Potts family in the movie version of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. There's a bit of hyperbole going on which may go over the heads of some middle grade readers and may turn off other readers (just don't take things too seriously). But the adventures through a wacky house to do things like find a missing uncle or defend the castle from demolition should appeal to the vast majority and would make a great middle grade read aloud.
Notes on content: No language issues. No sexual content. Some of the adventures find people in dangerous situations, but no one is seriously hurt. Some of the van Dash family adults misguidedly think breaking into the city hall of Boring is the answer to their problems, but Brian does try to talk them out of it and it doesn't work out in the end. Some parents may want to talk to kids about the dilemma that Brian and Nora face in choosing whether to obey Nora's dad or to help save the van Dash's home.
What kid doesn't dream of wandering into the woods and finding a weird and wonderful house to explore? I would've LOVED this story as a child; it feeds all my wished for adventure fantasies. The wild house full of unexpected building patterns and adventures and an eccentric family is like a mashup of Castle Glower and Mrs Piggle-Wiggle's upside down house, with a family of Pippi Longstocking plus the Potts family in the movie version of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. There's a bit of hyperbole going on which may go over the heads of some middle grade readers and may turn off other readers (just don't take things too seriously). But the adventures through a wacky house to do things like find a missing uncle or defend the castle from demolition should appeal to the vast majority and would make a great middle grade read aloud.
Notes on content: No language issues. No sexual content. Some of the adventures find people in dangerous situations, but no one is seriously hurt. Some of the van Dash family adults misguidedly think breaking into the city hall of Boring is the answer to their problems, but Brian does try to talk them out of it and it doesn't work out in the end. Some parents may want to talk to kids about the dilemma that Brian and Nora face in choosing whether to obey Nora's dad or to help save the van Dash's home.
May 22, 2017
The story: Brian is stuck at Uncle Gary's for the summer, with his cousin Nora who hates him. It seems like it'll be Death by Boredom when something unexpected happens: the kids get lost in the woods and discover the Matchstick Castle, peopled with a host of famous adventurers, writers, and explorers, who just so happen to be pursued by their very up-to-date nemesis on the city council who wants to tear the whole thing down (people inside or no). Luckily, Brian and Nora are there to add a little common sense to the derring do while the day is being saved. Summer just got a lot more interesting!
June Cleaver's ratings: Language PG; Violence G; Sexual content G; Nudity G; Substance abuse PG; Magic & the occult G; GLBT content G; adult themes (grown-ups behaving irresponsibly; evil-doing public servants) PG; overall rating G.
Liz's comments: I thought this book was hilarious and charming, and will have it in my MS library even though it's really better for grades 4-5. A good humorous book is hard to find, and must be embraced when you do!
June Cleaver's ratings: Language PG; Violence G; Sexual content G; Nudity G; Substance abuse PG; Magic & the occult G; GLBT content G; adult themes (grown-ups behaving irresponsibly; evil-doing public servants) PG; overall rating G.
Liz's comments: I thought this book was hilarious and charming, and will have it in my MS library even though it's really better for grades 4-5. A good humorous book is hard to find, and must be embraced when you do!
January 6, 2017
Full disclosure - Keir is my editor at Booklist.
Matchstick Castle is a fun romp with a wonderful classic feel to it. Brian's voice is terrific and I think will really appeal to kids. The eccentric Van Dash family was a delight as was the ramshackle castle full of surprises set against suburban Boring Illinois. There are lots of fun details and touches that make this a completely engaging read. Uncle Gary and his "Summer's Cool" online summer school made a wonderful foil for beckoning forbidden adventures at the castle. Although perhaps it was a bit TOO real in this current educational climate ;-) There's plenty of comic action too including one of my favorite scenes where they break into City Hall.
I've got my fingers crossed that Keir takes readers back for another visit to the castle.
Matchstick Castle is a fun romp with a wonderful classic feel to it. Brian's voice is terrific and I think will really appeal to kids. The eccentric Van Dash family was a delight as was the ramshackle castle full of surprises set against suburban Boring Illinois. There are lots of fun details and touches that make this a completely engaging read. Uncle Gary and his "Summer's Cool" online summer school made a wonderful foil for beckoning forbidden adventures at the castle. Although perhaps it was a bit TOO real in this current educational climate ;-) There's plenty of comic action too including one of my favorite scenes where they break into City Hall.
I've got my fingers crossed that Keir takes readers back for another visit to the castle.
October 4, 2016
Ya done good, my friend.
If you let Pippi Longstocking drive Chitty Chitty Bang Bang to Daniel Pinkwater's house to meet with like-minded Anti-Bureaucrats on the injustice of static education you might just get "a wonderful book about three daring young people who rescue grown-ups from frightening situations."
Recommended as a family read-aloud. Perfect for the reader who has graduated from Mrs. Piggle Wiggle and is headed toward The Mysterious Benedict Society.
Quote from page 162 of the ARC.
If you let Pippi Longstocking drive Chitty Chitty Bang Bang to Daniel Pinkwater's house to meet with like-minded Anti-Bureaucrats on the injustice of static education you might just get "a wonderful book about three daring young people who rescue grown-ups from frightening situations."
Recommended as a family read-aloud. Perfect for the reader who has graduated from Mrs. Piggle Wiggle and is headed toward The Mysterious Benedict Society.
Quote from page 162 of the ARC.
December 11, 2016
A whimsical adventure with a large dose of humor? Yes, please! This story spoke to my inner child, who suffered too many boring summer vacations and longed to discover something magical and exciting in my own backyard.
June 28, 2021
Good story, definitely made me keep wanting to listen bc I didn’t know what was going to happen next. Some was a bit tedious. But all in all good.
February 18, 2021
Gelezen: Het Luciferkasteel (10+) 🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑
Voorafgaande het bestellen van dit boek vond er een uiterst secure selectieprocedure plaats. Je kent me. Alles tegenover elkaar afwegen. Dit boek heeft dit maar dat andere weer dat. En na veel wikken en wegen belande dit in mijn winkelwagen.
Hier is natuurlijk niks van waar. Ik zat gewoon een beetje rond te neuzelen in de kasten van @dekinderboekwinkel en zag dit. Het belande ook in m’n winkelwagentje. Niet in de echte echte winkel natuurlijk. De online echte winkel. Want in het echt echt kan het niet. Maar dat wist je al. En als dat niet zo is... tja... Daar heb ik geen antwoord op. Ik ga lezen. Tot zo!
Brian moet zijn zomervakantie doorbrengen bij zijn oom Gerry en tante Jenny. Super stom. Ook heeft hij daar een nichtje maar ook zij is niet leuk. Niks is leuk. En dan moet hij ook nog “naar school” tijdens de vakantie! VRESELIJK! Maar dan verdwaalt hij in het bos en ontdekt hij het huis dat op de cover staat. Maar de mensen die er wonen zijn volgens oom Gerry bad news…
De eerste pagina’s die ik te lezen krijg zijn fijn. Ik kan met een gerust hart mezelf naar blz. 254 (wat de laatste bladzijde van dit boek is) toewerken.
Die Brian mag ik wel. Het is de vervelendste vakantie ooit en ik snap precies waarom. Alles is teveel en als je oom dan met iets aan komt zakken zodat je huiswerk moet maken in je vakantie. Vreselijk. Ik lees het en ik heb het al met hem te doen. Lekker geschreven dus.
De nostalgie kruipt m’n hersenen in. Zo denk ik aan Jumanji en Honey I Shrunk the Kids. Vraag me niet waarom. Het gebeurde gewoon. Wild associeren. Doe jij dat nooit? Nou… ik wel! Maar ik denk ook aan Villa Kakelbont en The Burrow (Het Nest) en die zijn wat logischer.
Blijkbaar had ik ‘oordopjes’ in m’n hoofd zitten. Ik vroeg me de hele tijd af wat daarmee is en waarom het maar niet komt. Tot blz. 254 (je weet wel… die laatste bladzijde) is er niets over te lezen. Verder vouwt het zich niet vakkundig open met geniale ontdekkingen. Maar daar gaat het ook helemaal niet om joh. Het gaat over dat kasteel. Niet over het verleden waar de slechterik zijn psychische pijnen heeft ontwikkeld.
Kortom: gewoon een lekker boekie
Voorafgaande het bestellen van dit boek vond er een uiterst secure selectieprocedure plaats. Je kent me. Alles tegenover elkaar afwegen. Dit boek heeft dit maar dat andere weer dat. En na veel wikken en wegen belande dit in mijn winkelwagen.
Hier is natuurlijk niks van waar. Ik zat gewoon een beetje rond te neuzelen in de kasten van @dekinderboekwinkel en zag dit. Het belande ook in m’n winkelwagentje. Niet in de echte echte winkel natuurlijk. De online echte winkel. Want in het echt echt kan het niet. Maar dat wist je al. En als dat niet zo is... tja... Daar heb ik geen antwoord op. Ik ga lezen. Tot zo!
Brian moet zijn zomervakantie doorbrengen bij zijn oom Gerry en tante Jenny. Super stom. Ook heeft hij daar een nichtje maar ook zij is niet leuk. Niks is leuk. En dan moet hij ook nog “naar school” tijdens de vakantie! VRESELIJK! Maar dan verdwaalt hij in het bos en ontdekt hij het huis dat op de cover staat. Maar de mensen die er wonen zijn volgens oom Gerry bad news…
De eerste pagina’s die ik te lezen krijg zijn fijn. Ik kan met een gerust hart mezelf naar blz. 254 (wat de laatste bladzijde van dit boek is) toewerken.
Die Brian mag ik wel. Het is de vervelendste vakantie ooit en ik snap precies waarom. Alles is teveel en als je oom dan met iets aan komt zakken zodat je huiswerk moet maken in je vakantie. Vreselijk. Ik lees het en ik heb het al met hem te doen. Lekker geschreven dus.
De nostalgie kruipt m’n hersenen in. Zo denk ik aan Jumanji en Honey I Shrunk the Kids. Vraag me niet waarom. Het gebeurde gewoon. Wild associeren. Doe jij dat nooit? Nou… ik wel! Maar ik denk ook aan Villa Kakelbont en The Burrow (Het Nest) en die zijn wat logischer.
Blijkbaar had ik ‘oordopjes’ in m’n hoofd zitten. Ik vroeg me de hele tijd af wat daarmee is en waarom het maar niet komt. Tot blz. 254 (je weet wel… die laatste bladzijde) is er niets over te lezen. Verder vouwt het zich niet vakkundig open met geniale ontdekkingen. Maar daar gaat het ook helemaal niet om joh. Het gaat over dat kasteel. Niet over het verleden waar de slechterik zijn psychische pijnen heeft ontwikkeld.
Kortom: gewoon een lekker boekie
May 14, 2018
It’s the summer before 6th grade and Brian is forced to spend it in Boring, Illinois. His father has gone to the South Pole to do research, so Brian gets to live with his Uncle Gary, Aunt Jenny and cousin Nora. Being apart from his father is bad enough, but things get worse when Brian realizes that his uncle expects him to spend his summer going to school online.
In an attempt to get away from the stifling environment inside his uncle’s house, Brian heads into the woods one day and discovers Cosmo van Dash and his extended family complete with five whacky, creative, absent minded and brilliant renaissance brothers Kingsley, Montague, Roald, Ivar and his father Dashiell.
When Brian realizes that the van Dash’s fantastic home is going to be demolished by the city, he and Nora do what they can to help the family keep it from happening.
The Matchstick Castle is an adventure book with larger than life characters who charm their way the reader’s heart. When Brian first meets the van Dashes, the family motto is “Do great things and let others watch.” However, by the end of the book readers will not only be watching the van Dashes, but rooting for them all the way as they fight City Hall.
In an attempt to get away from the stifling environment inside his uncle’s house, Brian heads into the woods one day and discovers Cosmo van Dash and his extended family complete with five whacky, creative, absent minded and brilliant renaissance brothers Kingsley, Montague, Roald, Ivar and his father Dashiell.
When Brian realizes that the van Dash’s fantastic home is going to be demolished by the city, he and Nora do what they can to help the family keep it from happening.
The Matchstick Castle is an adventure book with larger than life characters who charm their way the reader’s heart. When Brian first meets the van Dashes, the family motto is “Do great things and let others watch.” However, by the end of the book readers will not only be watching the van Dashes, but rooting for them all the way as they fight City Hall.
May 18, 2018
I went to the library in search of another book, and when it was not available, I stumbled across this one. I'm delighted that I picked it up!
I took it with me on a trip to visit my nieces (4 and 2) and they loved listening to me read it in the car while we were headed to and from places. They even asked if I would "read the story with no pictures" while we were at home.
Quotes:
- Nora looked at the book the way a lot of grown-ups look at their phones: as if they're hypnotized and helpless to resist. (p97)
- Dashiell van Dash hung coils of rope around out necks like he was giving us medals for bravery. "Children can do much more than grown-ups give them credit for. Just because you're smaller than us, it doesn't mean you can't be clever, brave, and resourceful." (p132)
- "The life of an author is not easy, but if the page calls to you, you must answer--no matter where the story leads," Kingsley told her as we started to descend again. "And you're not truly a writer until you have readers. Even one can be enough. Perhaps you will permit me to return the favor and read your work?" (p170)
I took it with me on a trip to visit my nieces (4 and 2) and they loved listening to me read it in the car while we were headed to and from places. They even asked if I would "read the story with no pictures" while we were at home.
Quotes:
- Nora looked at the book the way a lot of grown-ups look at their phones: as if they're hypnotized and helpless to resist. (p97)
- Dashiell van Dash hung coils of rope around out necks like he was giving us medals for bravery. "Children can do much more than grown-ups give them credit for. Just because you're smaller than us, it doesn't mean you can't be clever, brave, and resourceful." (p132)
- "The life of an author is not easy, but if the page calls to you, you must answer--no matter where the story leads," Kingsley told her as we started to descend again. "And you're not truly a writer until you have readers. Even one can be enough. Perhaps you will permit me to return the favor and read your work?" (p170)
February 23, 2020
The Matchstick Castle is a wild romp of mischievous summer fun. Brian Brown's father has the opportunity of a lifetime to visit Antarctica. While this is great for his dad, Brian finds himself in Boring, Illinois for the summer and the place definitely lives up to its namesake. Being forced to work on a computer program called "Summer's Cool" with his prudent cousin, Nora, Brian is desperate for any type of summer adventure.
One day, while traipsing through the woods to escape a wild boar, Brian happens upon a dilapidated, but magical-looking house and is instantly intrigued. Returning with his cousin, Nora, he meets Cosmo, a boy about his age who is in the throws of ridding his house, which he affectionately calls The Matchstick Castle, of Amazonian wasps.
The children overcome the wasp obstacle only to find they have much bigger problems to solve--Cosmo's uncle has been missing for a year and the city wants to tear down The Matchstick Castle!
Brian and Nora vow to help Cosmo and all his uncles to save the Matchstick Castle, no matter how risky. What ensues is a tale of adventure, rule-breaking, and good summer fun!
One day, while traipsing through the woods to escape a wild boar, Brian happens upon a dilapidated, but magical-looking house and is instantly intrigued. Returning with his cousin, Nora, he meets Cosmo, a boy about his age who is in the throws of ridding his house, which he affectionately calls The Matchstick Castle, of Amazonian wasps.
The children overcome the wasp obstacle only to find they have much bigger problems to solve--Cosmo's uncle has been missing for a year and the city wants to tear down The Matchstick Castle!
Brian and Nora vow to help Cosmo and all his uncles to save the Matchstick Castle, no matter how risky. What ensues is a tale of adventure, rule-breaking, and good summer fun!
June 23, 2017
3.5 stars actually and maybe 4...my major beef is the stodgy boring-ness of Brian's Uncle and Aunt. They were so awfully boring and inflexible. Then, I met the neighbors and, perhaps - probably, the stodginess is necessary to play off the neighbors' personalities.
Adventurers, unite! The neighbors will lose their home and their property if Brian and his boring cousin, Nora, don't do something. The neighbors, firmly entrenched in the technology of the first two-thirds of the 20th century, are inept at fighting their own battles. Their attempts are tons of fun, though.
This book is an argument against screen time and t champions modern technology all at the same time. High jinks and escapades all around.
Adventurers, unite! The neighbors will lose their home and their property if Brian and his boring cousin, Nora, don't do something. The neighbors, firmly entrenched in the technology of the first two-thirds of the 20th century, are inept at fighting their own battles. Their attempts are tons of fun, though.
This book is an argument against screen time and t champions modern technology all at the same time. High jinks and escapades all around.
July 21, 2017
Are well known kids authors, the sort who write blurbs for other people's books, unaware of any books published when THEY were kids, or even before that?
PUHLEEZ!
This book is mildly entertaining, but easily interchangeable with a zillion other such. Boy/Girl goes reluctantly to visit family members and is having a miserable time, boy/girl finds wacky secret place to have adventures, boy triumphs, and perhaps makes friends with a cousin whom is more likeable than he/she thought. The end.
It's been done. This version has nothing really new or exciting. You can swap it from some other such book no longer being read because it is no longer brand new and doesn't have contemporary authors plugging it.
PUHLEEZ!
This book is mildly entertaining, but easily interchangeable with a zillion other such. Boy/Girl goes reluctantly to visit family members and is having a miserable time, boy/girl finds wacky secret place to have adventures, boy triumphs, and perhaps makes friends with a cousin whom is more likeable than he/she thought. The end.
It's been done. This version has nothing really new or exciting. You can swap it from some other such book no longer being read because it is no longer brand new and doesn't have contemporary authors plugging it.
December 6, 2017
Fun, quick read with curious (though somewhat shallow) characters. Really, the house itself is the most interesting "character," but it's well capable of sustaining the story. There are several hints that it has some agency, protecting itself and its own from threats. It's a lot of fun to read the passages where people dart from one place to another through the house encountering various absurd locations along the way. It would be interesting to expand on this point - if the origins were left in a little mystery, to allow for more narrative room, could a house like this sustain several novels? Analogies in other fiction? Hogwart's is a little too passive in some way, can anyone think of others?
March 16, 2023
2.75 stars rounded up
I haven't read a middle school level book in a long time, so don't know what I can compare this to. I read the book because I'm now occasionally seeing and "teaching" (really just talking about books and reading to) some 5th graders.
I liked the book okay, but I got bored in the middle when the rebellious kids go looking for an errant adult who has been lost in a maze like house for a whole year. There are some quite humorous bits. I especially liked Uncle Gary, who has invented some teaching software called "Summer's Cool," which he inflicts on Brian our hero and his cousin Nora.
The ending of the book is tied up in a neat little bow. Even Uncle Gary... well perhaps I shouldn't say.
Lukewarm recommendation
I haven't read a middle school level book in a long time, so don't know what I can compare this to. I read the book because I'm now occasionally seeing and "teaching" (really just talking about books and reading to) some 5th graders.
I liked the book okay, but I got bored in the middle when the rebellious kids go looking for an errant adult who has been lost in a maze like house for a whole year. There are some quite humorous bits. I especially liked Uncle Gary, who has invented some teaching software called "Summer's Cool," which he inflicts on Brian our hero and his cousin Nora.
The ending of the book is tied up in a neat little bow. Even Uncle Gary... well perhaps I shouldn't say.
Lukewarm recommendation
July 14, 2017
This book borders on Nonsense Fantasy, which as a whole I really don't like. But somehow, this author makes it work. I think it's the sense of humor in our main character Brian that kept my interest. He is a kid with a huge sense of adventure who finds himself shipped off to spend a summer with his super strict uncle in Boring, Illinois. Of course he's forbidden to enter the mysterious woods surrounding the suburb, and of course he does, where naturally he finds the strangest family of once-famous explorers and adventurers living in a sprawling mansion built over an abandoned mine and topped by a steamship. Somehow, this works, and actually made me laugh.
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