Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Collection
Publication
Schwartz & Wade (2008), Hardcover, 40 pages
Description
Children come to visit a little girl who lives all alone inside a castle that is housed inside of a museum.
User reviews
LibraryThing member amysisson
Although I have neither children nor plans to have them -- in fact, I'm not terribly comfortable around children -- I adore children's books. Picture books, chapter books, young adult novels, you name it. There's a certain freedom and beauty, and sometimes dignity, to children's books that can't
On a recent trip to Denver, a friend introduced me to the Tattered Cover, a lovely independent bookstore in an old-ish building complete with creaking, sloping floors and comfortable furniture everywhere. And in the children's section I came across this lovely book and had to buy it: The Girl in the Castle Inside the Museum, written by Kate Bernheimer and illustrated by Nicoletta Ceccoli. A tiny girl lives in a castle inside a glass globe inside a museum that seems to house strange toys and other oddities, and children come to try to catch a glimpse of the girl inside the castle. It's a sweet, slightly recursive story (there's a reference to "this book you hold in your hands") that I very much enjoyed.
But it was the illustrations that I fell in love with. The style seems familiar and strange, and although I haven't googled Nicoletta Ceccoli yet, I feel certain that I've seen her work before. This art is luminous, surreal, and fantastic. There are dice with wings fluttering around the castle, and stuffed animals and rocking horses with button eyes. The children in the museum have big eyes that are solemn and intelligent. You have to look at the book several times to take it all in.
Even if you don't have children, maybe you have nieces and nephews. Some child in your life will love this book. Or you can just buy it for yourself.
And if this book doesn't make at least the short list for the Caldecott Award next year, I'll be a monkey's uncle. Well, aunt.
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always be found elsewhere.On a recent trip to Denver, a friend introduced me to the Tattered Cover, a lovely independent bookstore in an old-ish building complete with creaking, sloping floors and comfortable furniture everywhere. And in the children's section I came across this lovely book and had to buy it: The Girl in the Castle Inside the Museum, written by Kate Bernheimer and illustrated by Nicoletta Ceccoli. A tiny girl lives in a castle inside a glass globe inside a museum that seems to house strange toys and other oddities, and children come to try to catch a glimpse of the girl inside the castle. It's a sweet, slightly recursive story (there's a reference to "this book you hold in your hands") that I very much enjoyed.
But it was the illustrations that I fell in love with. The style seems familiar and strange, and although I haven't googled Nicoletta Ceccoli yet, I feel certain that I've seen her work before. This art is luminous, surreal, and fantastic. There are dice with wings fluttering around the castle, and stuffed animals and rocking horses with button eyes. The children in the museum have big eyes that are solemn and intelligent. You have to look at the book several times to take it all in.
Even if you don't have children, maybe you have nieces and nephews. Some child in your life will love this book. Or you can just buy it for yourself.
And if this book doesn't make at least the short list for the Caldecott Award next year, I'll be a monkey's uncle. Well, aunt.
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LibraryThing member pussreboots
The Girl in the Castle Inside the Museum by Kate Bernheimer is one of those surreal metafiction picture books that either works for you or not. As my daughter and I both tend to like these types of books, I purchased the copy on display at our local bookstore.
The title pretty much sums up what the
But like Watanuki in the later half of xxxHolic, holding down the shop for the missing Yuko, the girl can travel through dreaming. And here's the make it or break it point — the narration moves from third person to second person. Not only does she dream of places within the fictional world of her book, she also dreams of you, the reader.
The book ends with an interactive piece, asking the reader to draw a picture for the doll to dream of. Now, if you're little one likes that sort of interaction, it's a plus. If you're little one will be put off by that, skip this book.
The title pretty much sums up what the
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book is about. There is a girl who, for unexplained reasons, lives inside of a castle, which in turn is on display in a museum. She is a living doll or something.But like Watanuki in the later half of xxxHolic, holding down the shop for the missing Yuko, the girl can travel through dreaming. And here's the make it or break it point — the narration moves from third person to second person. Not only does she dream of places within the fictional world of her book, she also dreams of you, the reader.
The book ends with an interactive piece, asking the reader to draw a picture for the doll to dream of. Now, if you're little one likes that sort of interaction, it's a plus. If you're little one will be put off by that, skip this book.
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LibraryThing member tashabear
A dreamy sort of picture book, that in a way reminds me of "Coraline." The end takes an odd turn and draws the reader in. I think it would be a bit less creepy if the girl who lived in the castle did just that, and wasn't lonely or dreaming about a boy who once visited her.
LibraryThing member ebmcc
lovely illustrations; whimsical and surreal; the story kind of floats along
LibraryThing member Petroglyph
Lovely illustrations. Those were in fact the reason I picked this one up. The story is charming too. Great all-round.
LibraryThing member ejmeloche
A small girl who lives in a castle in a museum is lonely and dreams of having friends and company in this surreal story.
The text does not tell a straightforward story, rather it gives general descriptions of the scenes that are entrancingly illustrated by Ceccoli. The illustrations-- a mix of
Not necessary for library collections.
The text does not tell a straightforward story, rather it gives general descriptions of the scenes that are entrancingly illustrated by Ceccoli. The illustrations-- a mix of
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paint, clay, and photography-- make the book. They have a bewitching, dreamy quality that fits the eeriness of a tiny girl living in a castle in a museum. However, the lovely art is not enough to overcome the weak storyline; it is unlikely that the story will keep children's interest.Not necessary for library collections.
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LibraryThing member AbigailAdams26
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 and Brothers and Beasts. I'm not sure what I was expecting - probably something more along the lines of
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.
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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.
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LibraryThing member dms02
A whimsical tale about a small girl that lives in a glass castle inside a museum. She dreams of having friends come visit with her.
I would give the story itself 3 stars - but the illustrations are super lovely so they get 4 stars.
I would give the story itself 3 stars - but the illustrations are super lovely so they get 4 stars.
LibraryThing member lruano
There is a girl who lives in a castle that is displayed in a museum. When the children came to the museum they would try to see the girl inside the castle. The girl was very lonely inside that beautiful castle. The girl would have dreams aout people coming inside to visit her, a girl who lived in
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lonely town and even about you. When th girl woke up she had an idea. She wants a picture of you in her wall so she wouldn't feel so alone. She wants you to keep her company in her magical world. Do you see her? She sees you. To me this is a very creepy book especially when it says "she sees you". I also feel like there is no point to this story. Show Less
LibraryThing member margaritamunoz14
This is a fun fantasy for young readers. It has a twist and will engage a lot of students because it is not the usual story line. The story is on a girl who lives in a castle and the castle is in museum and then children come and visit it. The girl in the castle is lonely so she wants a friend and
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a picture to go along with her new friend. Show Less
LibraryThing member MelissaKlatt
Summary: Tells the story of a girl inside a big snow globe inside a toy museum. The girl that lives in castle in the museum gets lonely when the children leave the museum, but she dreams of a boy in the woods waiting to play. She dreams about playing with other people as well, even you.
Personal
Class use: I would use this to ask students what they would do if they lived in a snow globe in a museum and how they would spend their time as a creative writing activity.
Personal
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reflection: I think this book would be good for character building and learning to make the most of time even when you don't have anyone to spend it with. I like the creativeness of the story and the illustrations go along with the story very nicely.Class use: I would use this to ask students what they would do if they lived in a snow globe in a museum and how they would spend their time as a creative writing activity.
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LibraryThing member Cheryl_in_CC_NV
Odd. Personally, I found it a little creepy. If I spent much time with it I'd probably have weird, unsettling dreams. That being said, an imaginative or morbid child would probably be thrilled to enter that lonely little world again and again. They might feel inspired to new rushes of creativity,
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or studying the book might feel cathartic to them. I am going to look at other works by the author and by the illustrator, Nicoletta Ceccoli. Show Less
Original publication date
2008
Physical description
40 p.; 7.9 inches
ISBN
0375836063 / 9780375836060