The Children of Castle Rock

🚣‍♀️🚓🏫⛈️

by Natasha Farrant

★★★★★

Review

Natasha Farrant has done it again with The Children of Castle Rock, delivering another breathtaking adventure filled with secrets, rebellion, and high-stakes adventures.

One of the book’s greatest strengths is the vivid descriptions of Scotland’s wild landscapes—its islands, storms, and wildlife (including puffins!)— bring the story to life. Having recently taught a unit on the Scottish Highlands, I found the novel’s depiction particularly captivating and know that my class would love the links too.

The plot is fast-paced and filled with twists that kept me hooked from start to finish. The short, well-placed chapters make it almost impossible to put the book down, with each one ending at just the right moment to leave you desperate to read on. The boarding school itself is a dream—full of mystery, adventure, and just the right amount of chaos. With secret towers, midnight boating trips, and mischievous kittens hidden in pockets, Stormy Loch feels like a place I’d love to visit (or maybe even run away to!). I also really appreciated the diversity of the characters, with Alice and her friends coming from German, Polish, British, and Scottish backgrounds. This mix of cultures added extra depth to the story, making their friendships even more special.

What truly makes this book shine, though, is the beautifully developed relationship between Alice and her unlikely companions, Jesse and Fergus. Each character is distinct—Alice, timid yet determined; Jesse, cautious and rule-abiding; and Fergus, wild and reckless—but together, they form an unforgettable trio. Their growing friendship, filled with humor, loyalty, and heartfelt emotion, reminded me of the dynamic in A.F. Steadman’s Skandar series. Farrant captures the depth of their bond with rare authenticity, making their journey not just an adventure but a deeply touching story of love and belonging.

I just love this book so much, and would recommend it to any parent of children 7+ for a shared bedtime read, or for lovers of adventure, friendship, and a touch of rebellion.

Dive Deeper

At a glance

Author: Natasha Farrant

Cover artist: David Dean

Release Date: 1st March 2018

Book type: Chapter, 320 pages

Reader level: Confident reader, Shared read 7+

Blurb

When Alice Mistlethwaite is shipped off to boarding school in Scotland it's nothing like she imagines. Run by the mysterious Major, there are no punishments and the students are more likely to be taught about body painting or extreme survival than maths or English!

Then Alice's dad goes missing and she must run away to find him. Can she persuade her new friends to help?

So begins an epic quest across wild Scottish highlands and islands, where friendships will be made and broken, lies will be untangled and the children will face danger and excitement at every turn . . .

Both hilarious and heartfelt, this is the classic adventure story brought bang up to date, and told in Natasha's inimitable voice.

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