Synopses & Reviews
Ephraim Appledore-Smith is an ordinary boy, and up until his fathers stroke he lived an ordinary life. But all that changes when his family moves to the Water Castle—their ancestral home in the small town of Crystal Springs. Mallory Greens family has always been the caretakers of the Water Castle—and the guardians of the legendary Fountain of Youth, hidden on the estate grounds. Will Wylies family has been at war with the Applegates for generations, all because of the Water Castles powerful secrets. When Ephraim learns of the Fountain, hes sure finding it can cure his dad. With Mallory and Wills help, he embarks on a quest that will blur the lines of magic and science, creativity and discovery, leaving readers left to wonder: Do you believe in the unbelievable?
Review
"Weaving legacy and myth into science and magic, old into new and enemies into friends, Blakemore creates an exquisite mystery . . . With keen intelligence and bits of humor, the prose slips calmly between narrative perspectives, trusting readers to pick up a revelation that Ephraim and Mallory dont see—and its a doozy. This one is special." —Kirkus Review, starred review
"In The Water Castle, science feels magical, and magic feels possible. This is a world I want to live in." —Laurel Snyder, author of Bigger than a Breadbox
"Blakemore skillfully explores the intersection of science and magic in this multifaceted story . . . a sense of skeptical wonder pervades the book and lingers." —Publishers Weekly
"An entertaining and thought-provoking fantasy." —School Library Journal
Synopsis
Blurring the lines between magic and science, award-winning author Megan Frazer Blakemore invites readers to search for the elusive Fountain of Youth.
Ephraim Appledore-Smith is an ordinary boy living an ordinary life. But everything changes when his father has a stroke and his family moves back to their ancestral home, the Water Castle. There Ephraim meets Mallory Green and Will Wylie, whose families are tied to the Water Castle's powerful secrets . . . including the legend that the Fountain of Youth is hidden on the estate grounds.
When Ephraim learns of the Fountain, he's sure it can cure his dad. With Mallory and Will's help, he embarks on a quest that will reveal ancient secrets, resurrect old feuds, and leave readers wondering: Do you believe in the unbelievable?
Pick up The Water Castle if you are looking for:
- Classic adventure stories
- Stories that spark wonder
- Characters with big questions about the world
- Fun science ideas in fiction
About the Author
MEGAN FRAZER BLAKEMORE is the author of
Secrets of Truth and Beauty, a novel for young adults which received a starred review from
Publishers Weekly and was on the ALA Rainbow list. She works as an elementary school librarian in Maine where she lives with her family.
http://www.meganfrazer.com/
@meganbfrazer