Neil's Castle

by alissa imre geis

Have you ever had a dream that you wanted desperately to come true? Neil has. His dream is of a castle, one with tall towers, a drawbridge over a deep moat, and up a winding staircase, a room with windows and a chair just his size. Neil tries to recreate this dream castle, but the sand in his sandbox is too dry and his blocks are too small. Then Neil spots his father drawing at his drafting table and he has another idea. Soon, with his father’s help, his bedroom is papered floor to ceiling. First with pencil then with paint, Neil’s castle moves from dream to reality, and Neil becomes . . . an artist.

Alissa Imre Geis’s fresh illustrations and moving text gently share an important message—anyone can pursue a dream.

Genres: Picture Books, Fiction, Childrens

32 pages, Hardcover

First published April 12, 2004

About the author

Author. Illustrator. Knitter. Mother. Reader.

Reviews

[Mia Valdez Quellhorst · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unremarkable all around.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Neil has a dream about a castle that he tries to recreate with sand and then blocks and a couch hideaway but it still doesn't capture the feeling of his dream castle. The solution is provided by his Dad, covering the walls with paper large enough to capture a huge painting of the castle. It is not so much the story or the art but the vibe of the story that proves the most pleasing, quiet and thoughtful with a pleasing end, the father and son just sitting together enjoying the artwork and each other.

[Cws]

JEPIC-Gei

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this sweet book, Neil dreams of a castle but when he wakes up it takes several attempts before he can make that castle.