Sand Castle Fantasy

Horton Halfpott, or, The fiendish mystery of Smugwick Manor, or, The Loosening of M'Lady Luggertuck's Corset by Tom Angleberger.

Horton, an upstanding kitchen boy in a nineteenth-century English castle, becomes involved in a mystery surrounding a series of thefts-- and in the pursuit of a wealthy young lady's affections (206 pages, RL 5.8).

Midnight Magic by Avi.

In Italy in 1491, Magnus the magician and his apprentice are summoned to the castle of Duke Claudio to determine if his daughter is indeed being haunted by a ghost (247 pages, RL 5.0).

Wide-Awake Princess series by E.D. Baker.
Annie, younger sister of the princess who would be known as Sleeping Beauty, is immune to magic and stays awake when the rest of the castle falls into an enchanted sleep, then sets out to find a way to break the spell RL 5.4).

The Castle Corona by Sharon Creech.

Two orphaned peasant children discover a mysterious pouch, the contents of which lead them to the majestic Castle Corona, where their lives may be transformed forever (320 pages, RL 5.5).

 

The Door in the Wall by Marguerite DeAngeli.

A crippled boy in fourteenth-century England proves his courage and earns recognition from the King (120 pages, RL 6.2).

 

The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo.

The adventures of Despereaux Tilling, a small mouse of unusual talents, the princess that he loves, the servant girl who longs to be a princess, and a devious rat determined to bring them all to ruin (267 pages, RL 4.7).

Half Magic by Edward Eager.

Four children looking forward to an ordinary summer enjoy a series of fantastic adventures by double-wishing on an ancient coin (192 pages, RL 6.2).

 

The Whipping Boy by Sid Fleischman.

A bratty prince and his whipping boy have many adventures when they inadvertently trade places after becoming involved with dangerous outlaws (99 pages, RL 4.5).

Igraine the Brave by Cornelia Funke.

The daughter of two magicians, twelve-year-old Igraine wants nothing more than to be a knight; and when their castle is attacked by a treacherous neighbor bent on stealing their singing magic books, Igraine has an opportunity to demonstrate her bravery (212 pages, RL 5.6).

 

A Tale of Two Castles by Gail Carson Levine.

Twelve-year-old Elodie journeys to Two Castles in hopes of studying acting but instead becomes apprentice to a dragon, who teaches her to be observant and use reasoning, thus helping her to uncover who is poisoning the king (328 pages, RL 4.3).

Half Upon a Time series by James Riley.

Humor and adventure abound in these fractured fairy tales: titles include Half Upon a Time, Once Upon the End, and Twice Upon a Time (RL 4.5).

 

The Silver Bowl by Diane Stanley.

From the age of seven when she became scullery maid in a castle, Molly has seen visions of the future which, years later, lead her and friend Tobias on an adventure to keep Alaric, the heir to the throne, safe from a curse (307 pages, RL 6.0).