The Water Castle

Blackmore, M. F. (2013). The Water Castle. Broadway, NY: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc.

Intended Audience: Ages 8-14

Genre: Science Fiction

Personal Reaction: The Water Castle was an wonderful story that had me hooked from the very beginning.  I started it on my lunch and within the half hour was already 47 pages into it.  In this story, the characters are searching for the fountain of youth, Ephraim wants it for his father, Mallory wants to know if her parents had been telling the truth for her whole life and Will is curious for the sake of science.  Throughout the story there is a journal shown of the Appledores, the family owning the Water Castle and detailing how they found the Fountain of Youth so many years ago. 

As many stories in small towns, there is centuries of hatred between Ephraim and Will's families, a hatred the young boys are able to help push aside as they become friends.  I always find myself loving books with light science fiction and having real problems needing solved.  At the end  Ephraim's father appears to be healed from his stroke, giving readers the understanding that the Fountain of Youth is real. 

Author Facts: Megan Frazer has her Masters in Library Science from Simmons GSLIS and spent more than ten years as a librarian.  She has a degree in English from Columbia and has taught English to high school students.  Currently she is taking a break from traditional jobs and is instead focusing on her writing and her family. 

Author's website: http://www.meganfrazer.com/