The Charmed Children of Rookskill Castle

Gr 5–8—The students of Rookskill Academy were sent there to be out of harm's way during the Blitz. Kat Bateson is a paragon of reason, good at math and a willing student of her father's clock repair business. Kat tries to calm the fears of her younger siblings with rational explanations for the strange sounds and mysterious children outside the castle. Initially, she suspects the strange goings-on are spy related. She is half right; there is a spy at the castle, but there is also a witch who runs the academy. The witch uses the charms from a chatelaine to capture the souls of children. After her siblings' souls are taken, Kat can no longer rely on logical explanations and musters the strength to unleash the magic of a family heirloom. Fiona Hardingham provides excellent narration. She gives the children distinguishable voices and infuses Kat's voice with the conflicting doubt and burgeoning confidence of a 12-year-old forced to use magic she doesn't understand.