The Very Last Castle

August 13, 2018
There’s an old castle in the middle of the town, a vestige from a time so distant that all that’s known about it is hearsay. Snaps, thuds, and hissing emerge from its walls, and community members surmise that it must be filled with monsters or giants or snakes. But a girl named Ibb is skeptical. “Maybe it’s something terrible,” she thinks. “Or maybe it’s something else.” She bravely reaches out to the lonely guardsman who patrols the walls and discovers that not only is he charming and friendly, he presides over a marvelous topiary garden. In short order, Ibb agrees to carry on the guardsman’s legacy and helps him make new friends in the town, and they turn the garden into a public space. Librarian, blogger, and debut author Jonker and Pett (Lizard from the Park) opt for low-key and thoughtful in words and illustrations. Minimal, unadorned text mixes with watercolor and pen-and-ink pictures to create an appealing protagonist who has an admirable, self-possessed curiousness and always wears big yellow boots—readers can almost hear her clomping confidently through the pages. Ages 4–8. Author’s agent: Stephen Barbara, InkWell Management. Illustrator’s agent: Kerry Sparks, Levine Greenberg Rostan.

October 1, 2018

PreS-Gr 2-There is only one castle left in the world and it stands in the middle of a small town with a lone guard in its watchtower. Nobody comes out of this imposing structure and nobody goes in. Enter Ibb, an adventurous young girl with a healthy dose of curiosity. When she asks what lives behind the walls, she gets a variety of frightening theories. Her teacher believes monsters reside there, a friend opines it must be giants, while her grandfather insists on snakes. Ibb entertains these fantastical thoughts (and the illustrations do them justice) but she maintains a sense of optimism that it "could be something else." With mounting tension, Ibb knocks on the castle door and then runs away in terror. Shortly thereafter, the girl receives an invitation to visit the castle. Readers soon learn that while monsters and giants do live there, things are not quite as they were envisioned by the townsfolk. Instead, there is a delightful garden with topiaries shaped like dragons and a garden bursting with good things to eat. In the end, Ibb convinces the guard to venture out and share the fruits of his labor. Appealing illustrations done in pen-and-ink and watercolor round out this stellar read-aloud and add to its subtle humor. VERDICT This debut picture book deserves a place in most collections. Strongly recommended for purchase.-Amy Nolan, St. Joseph Public Library, MI

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2019
In a small town stands a castle; no one ever goes in or comes out. Frightening rumors about its inhabitants keep people away until one curious little girl decides she's going in: "Maybe it's something terrible...but maybe it's something else." This brave child's decision inspires community-building and friendship among the townsfolk and encourages readers to try new things and overcome fears, all against a backdrop of stunning pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations.

(Copyright 2019 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

Starred review from August 15, 2018
A young girl named Ibb transforms her town when she dares to enter its very last castle, which no one has entered since anyone can remember.Ibb wears stripes and polka dots, princess dresses, tutus and butterfly wings, and big yellow boots. She walks by the castle every day. It is the last castle, and it stands in the middle of her town, with a guard who watches passers-by from the tower. The townspeople, never having entered the castle, speculate about what is inside. "Monsters." "Giants." "Snakes." Ibb wonders if it's something else. One day, she floats across the moat and knocks on the big door. She is scared away. But soon, an envelope arrives in the mail, inviting her to the castle. Everyone tells her to stay away, but even though she is scared, Ibb wants to know what is inside. The guard welcomes her and shows her around. What he wants is for someone "brave" and "curious" to take his place. Ibb thinks and decides that she'll help him if he lets the townspeople into the castle too. It turns out to be a win-win for everyone. The illustrations, in pen and ink and watercolor, render Ibb, a young brown girl with afro puffs who shows her fellow townspeople about bravery and kindness, and her story truly memorable. The guard and most of the other adults in Ibb's life are white; a friend named Alex also presents black.A lovely story about courage and community with a darling protagonist. (Picture book. 3-8)

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