CHARMED CHILDREN OF ROOKSKILL CASTLE + THE ARTIFACT HUNTERS: FREE AUDIOBOOK SHORT STORY
Best Users: Librarians, Educators, Home Learners
Best Audience: Children Grades 04-07
FREE AUDIOBOOK FOR MIDDLE GRADE READERS
Were you and your readers fans of Charmed Children of Rookskill Castle (4 Starred Reviews)?
Janet Fox takes us back to Rookskill with the new middle grade The Artifact Hunters!
“Potent, otherworldly, evil magic seeks domination, feeding on terror and upheaval in a time of war, while a Jewish refugee must find a way to counter it with some good magic of his own… Episodes are detailed and fast-paced, each one moving the tale forward, and there are lots of unexpected twists, turns, and revelations. Isaac and his magical teammates…are steadfast, brave, earnest, and altogether engaging. Inventive and exciting, with strong hints of more to follow.”
—Kirkus Reviews
Janet Fox and Curious City has created something rather thrilling (and chilling) to link the two books and pull readers further into the time-bending backstory. Listen to “The Witch’s Watch,” an original Janet Fox short story from the land of Rookskill produced as a free audiobook by Mind’s Eye Productions.
SHARE THE AUDIOBOOK & SERIES WITH DEATH’S HEAD CARDS
Curious City has created these beautifully frightening postcard packs with a QR code. Snap a picture of the code with a phone to discover the audio and the engagement-rich RookskillCastle.com.
The first 100 school and public librarians to enter will get a 50-postcard pack. Perfect for a haunting October distribution!
Enter to Get a Free Postcard Pack
ABOUT THE BOOKS
The Artifact Hunters
Series: Rookskill Castle (Book 2)
By Janet Fox
Published by Penguin Young Readers Group
ISBN-13: 9780451478696
Available as Hardcover, Audiobook, eBook
Age Range: 10 – 14 Years
Isaac Wolf can travel through time. But he’s also in a race against it.
With tensions in Prague rising at the height of World War II, Isaac Wolf is forced to leave home with nothing more than a small backpack and a pendant in the shape of an eternity knot. His parents believe the pendant will keep him safe—if he can discover what it really means.
This clue leads him to Rookskill Castle, home of the Special Alternative Intelligence Unit where gifted children can learn to harness their powers to support the Allies’ cause. With the help of his new friends and an antique watch that allows him to travel through time, Isaac must unlock his own powers and uncover the true meaning of the eternity knot. The only way he can do that, though, is by hunting for a series of magical artifacts that are scattered throughout the past . . . and Isaac isn’t the only artifact hunter. Soon he finds himself in a race against a threat just as deadly as the war itself—one that his parents had been trying to shield him from all along.
“Inventive and exciting.” —Kirkus Reviews
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“A companion novel to The Charmed Children of Rookskill Castle (2016), this is a joyful middle-grade adventure set against the backdrop of WWII…it’s easy to root for them against the scary creatures of the night.”
—Booklist Reviews
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“This fast-paced fantasy will appeal to fans of Carlos Hernandez’s ‘Sal and Gabi’ series. A strongly recommended purchase.”
—School Library Journal
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A Junior Library Guild Selection
The Charmed Children of Rookskill Castle
Series: Rookskill Castle (Book 1)
By Janet Fox
Published by Penguin Young Readers Group
ISBN-13: 9780147517135
Available as Hardcover, Audiobook, eBook
Age Range: 10 – 14 Years
Twelve-year-old Katherine Bateson believes in a logical explanation for everything. But even she can’t make sense of the strange goings-on at Rookskill Castle, the drafty old Scottish castle-turned-school where she and her siblings have been sent to escape the London Blitz. What’s making those mechanical shrieks at night? Why do the castle’s walls seem to have a mind of their own? And who are the silent children who seem to haunt Rookskill’s grounds? Kat believes Lady Eleanor, who rules the castle, is harboring a Nazi spy. But when her classmates begin to vanish, one by one, Kat must face the truth about what the castle actually harbors—and what Lady Eleanor is—before it’s too late.
“Wonderfully written . . . Readers will curl up and keep the lights on with this chilling page-turner.”
—Booklist, starred review
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“An original, clever, page-turning adventure.”
—Kirkus Reviews, starred review
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“In this intricately plotted thriller . . . . True-to-life protagonists, the skillful interweaving of flashbacks and the chatelaine motif, a masterful final encounter, and a satisfying denouement attest to Fox’s craftsmanship.”
—Publishers Weekly, starred review
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“Fox’s story of intrigue and magic is enticing from page one . . . a fascinating and wonderful read.”
—VOYA
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“[A] cleverly-crafted thriller . . . readers who enjoy historical fiction, science fiction, or horror will not want to miss this book!”
—School Library Connections
