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The Windsor Caper
Two American Girls, Alysa and Julie, visit England's Windsor Castle hoping to see Queen Mary's famous Doll House. But the day turns into a much bigger adventure than that; caught in a thunderstorm they find themselves locked in for the night! Taking refuge in the Queen's Bedchamber they learn that strange things can happen after dark; they meet some famous and not-so-famous characters from English History, including some terrifying beasties who are not supposed to come to life. And as if that's not they find themselves pitted in a battle of wits with a couple of ruthless art thieves who have the run of teh Castle's secret passages and doorways.
256 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
May 6, 2015
The Windsor Caper is the wonderfully written middle grade adventure of two American cousins who find themselves in a heap of trouble while visiting Windsor Castle in London.
When 8-year-old Julie is invited to spend summer vacation in London with her cousin Alysa (whose also American, but living abroad) she is elated. Convincing Julie's parents to let her fly over 5,000 miles away takes some convincing, but once travel companions are established for the young girl the eventful journey begins.
After arriving in England, Julie can't wait to take in all country has to offer. She's eager to see the castles and palaces and even hopes to meet the Queen. So when a visit is planned to Windsor Castle, Julie and Alysa are anxious to be among royalty. The girl's are drawn to Queen Mary's Dollhouse and the adults allow the girls to continuing exploring while they visit St. George's Chapel. Upon returning to the meeting place Julie and Alysa can't find Alysa's parents anyway. Fear sets in the girls frantically search for the adults only to be caught in a downpour. Seeking shelter the girls find an unlocked door leading back to the State Apartments, but once inside they find there's on way out. Exhausted the girls take refuge in the Royal Bed Chamber and begin a night of restless slumber dreaming of history lessons given by insightful guides, appearances from remarkable creatures, and a few peculiar incidents that leave them a little shaken. Will the girls ever find a way home?
One of the things I liked most about the story are the outtakes by a "good luck" Lincoln penny who highlights important facts from the story. He's also quite witty and reminds us to take time and recollect all the possible adventures that penny in your pocket has encountered (just as he has while hiding out in Alysa's purse). I liked the vast amount of knowledge that's shared through the young characters' overnight castle hiatus. Reader's are introduced to a variety of people and aspects of English history that I found utterly intriguing. I even took time to expand my knowledge through some of the recommended website from the story. Another fun aspect was the introduction to unusual English words that constantly confused Julie and added a bit of humor. The author is very knowledgeable about English history and does a magnificent job of spinning a well penned tale for readers to enjoy.
I highly recommend picking up a copy.
When 8-year-old Julie is invited to spend summer vacation in London with her cousin Alysa (whose also American, but living abroad) she is elated. Convincing Julie's parents to let her fly over 5,000 miles away takes some convincing, but once travel companions are established for the young girl the eventful journey begins.
After arriving in England, Julie can't wait to take in all country has to offer. She's eager to see the castles and palaces and even hopes to meet the Queen. So when a visit is planned to Windsor Castle, Julie and Alysa are anxious to be among royalty. The girl's are drawn to Queen Mary's Dollhouse and the adults allow the girls to continuing exploring while they visit St. George's Chapel. Upon returning to the meeting place Julie and Alysa can't find Alysa's parents anyway. Fear sets in the girls frantically search for the adults only to be caught in a downpour. Seeking shelter the girls find an unlocked door leading back to the State Apartments, but once inside they find there's on way out. Exhausted the girls take refuge in the Royal Bed Chamber and begin a night of restless slumber dreaming of history lessons given by insightful guides, appearances from remarkable creatures, and a few peculiar incidents that leave them a little shaken. Will the girls ever find a way home?
One of the things I liked most about the story are the outtakes by a "good luck" Lincoln penny who highlights important facts from the story. He's also quite witty and reminds us to take time and recollect all the possible adventures that penny in your pocket has encountered (just as he has while hiding out in Alysa's purse). I liked the vast amount of knowledge that's shared through the young characters' overnight castle hiatus. Reader's are introduced to a variety of people and aspects of English history that I found utterly intriguing. I even took time to expand my knowledge through some of the recommended website from the story. Another fun aspect was the introduction to unusual English words that constantly confused Julie and added a bit of humor. The author is very knowledgeable about English history and does a magnificent job of spinning a well penned tale for readers to enjoy.
I highly recommend picking up a copy.
February 14, 2015
Julie misses her cousin Alysa, who has moved temporarily to England with her Dad and family. She manages to visit during Summer vacation and the two nearly-nine-years-old girls are off! What follows is a crash course In the English vernacular and history, looks at some of the more interesting sights in London... And then a visit to Windsor Castle that goes all wrong. The girls somehow wind up in the private area, where the line between the dream and real world gets fuzzy. Just when it seems that's over, suddenly there's a mystery to solve, and the girls have the key...
Originally serialized in the 1980's for a newspaper in Buffalo, NY, the story has now been assembled in book form. The narrator (a penny!) will occasionally offer an aside to update you on things that might have changed since the time of this story or to suggest resources you might want to consult to learn more about particular items or places.
Except for a section on heraldic language that seemed to drag some, the story moved along quite well. And as it turned out, the heraldic language turned out to be very important.
I will be encouraging my family members to check this book out.
Originally serialized in the 1980's for a newspaper in Buffalo, NY, the story has now been assembled in book form. The narrator (a penny!) will occasionally offer an aside to update you on things that might have changed since the time of this story or to suggest resources you might want to consult to learn more about particular items or places.
Except for a section on heraldic language that seemed to drag some, the story moved along quite well. And as it turned out, the heraldic language turned out to be very important.
I will be encouraging my family members to check this book out.
January 6, 2015
This lovely book was written by Polish Holocaust survivor now living in the USA. Ever since her amazing rescue in 1945 (which is the subject of a best-selling autobiography and an Oscar-winning documentary) she has felt tremendous gratitude and love for England, its people and the Royal Family. This book is an expression of those joyous feelings; she always describes it as “the only book I have written that is not rooted in pain”.
It’s about the adventures of two little American girls who are accidentally locked into Windsor Castle and have an extraordinary night of adventure. They meet historical and imaginary characters and heraldic creatures (perhaps while dreaming) and successfully disrupt an attempted robbery by couple of ruthless art thieves. It is set some time in the 1980s, when Gerda originally wrote it as a children’s weekly serial for the Buffalo News.
I'm an adult. I loved it. So do various kids I've shown it to.
It’s about the adventures of two little American girls who are accidentally locked into Windsor Castle and have an extraordinary night of adventure. They meet historical and imaginary characters and heraldic creatures (perhaps while dreaming) and successfully disrupt an attempted robbery by couple of ruthless art thieves. It is set some time in the 1980s, when Gerda originally wrote it as a children’s weekly serial for the Buffalo News.
I'm an adult. I loved it. So do various kids I've shown it to.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews