ElsBeth and the Call of the Castle Ghosties: Book III in the Cape Cod Witch Series

Recipient of the prestigious Mom’s Choice Award honoring excellence, a Moonbeam Children’s Book Award, and described by Midwest Book Review as “about as fine a middle school fantasy as you could get.”

When their ancestral lands in the Scottish Highlands are threatened, three ancient ghosts of the castle need one of their clan from the living world. They call the young Cape Cod witch across the sea.

ElsBeth has a personal calling to protect the natural world, and her own need to know more about her family line.

With help and hindrance from her classmates who’ve been swept along, and newfound allies and opponents both magical and not, ElsBeth is drawn deep into the present danger and the mysteries of the old country and her heritage -- well above her magic level.

She must find a new measure of herself, and use all she can of the past and the present to make a future for her family and her friends.

ElsBeth and the Call of the Castle Ghosties is about as fine a middle school fantasy as you could get: vivid, packed with ghosts and mystery, and yet tempered with an attention to interpersonal depth that is rare and inviting. -- D. Donovan, Midwest Book Review I loved reading this book. It is a great adventure filled with mystery and folklore. Very beautifully written capturing so much magic... This book has been well researched and has a believable feel to it (in the fantasy way). As a reader it is easy to feel that you are part of the adventure. This series has the potential to keep running for a long time to come, and I will be looking forward to ElsBeth's future adventures. -- Miss Samantha Grayson "I want to very highly recommend ElsBeth and the Call of the Castle Ghosties. I found it humorous and entertaining. The story caught my interest quickly due to the character development. There is a sense of adventure, responsibility and fun in this book. One of my favorite things was the way the kids in the story worked together to understand and solve a problem, which helped others. I love stories that have a positive outcome due to the inventiveness and courage of kids! And this book is rich in this quality. Read it and spread the word. This one is really enjoyable!!!" -- Storyteller Ink The third installment of a Middle Grade series filled with magic, mystery, danger, and friendship. It takes us across the seas as we seek to protect a home never known...and a little something more. What at first appears to be merely another adventure with a varied group of kids, furry animals, and some magic thrown in for good measure...which by the way, would have certainly been good enough...turns into a cross seas adventure with a few lessons to learn, a hidden message of conservation and overall ecological responsibility. Who'd have thought, right? Yet, there it is, ready for readers young and old to capture, embrace, and take "the long look" themselves at how our actions and choices shape the world around us in a much BIGGER way. On the story level, we're faced with topics such as growing up, uncovering a secret family history, "enemies" we couldn't fathom having had let alone have them currently seeking us out, challenging friendships, and forgiveness. There is a bit of a mystery to solve as well as a plethora of magical creatures to meet plus a bad guy worth serving up on a platter...with his little henchmen. Her well-meaning friends provide many emotional highs and lows throughout the story. My favorite would have to be Johnny Twofeathers and our leading lady, Ms. ElsBeth Thistle, on the human side of things, both for their general character as well as their good intentions. On the side of familiars, Sylvanas wins paws down...gotta love that crazy cat! In conclusion...a trip to the Cape well worth the travel with a cast of characters you'll be glad to have met. Recommended read for girls and boys alike from the Middle Grade set and forward. -- GMR, Blogger The third story in the Cape Cod Witch series is a great continuation of the series. We take off for Scotland with ElsBeth and the group in a 'borrowed' yacht...With some new magical creatures and a group of ancient ghosts determined to protect their home, there are many lessons to be learned. A recurring theme through the books is environmentalism, and taking care of what we have now to save it for others in the future. Some of the ideas and concepts are for kids a little older than the first two books in the series. There is a nice development as you read through them. -- Jasmyn9