Saturdays at sea by Jessica Day George

Castle Glower series bk. 5. Bloomsbury, 2017. ISBN 9781408878248
(Age: 8-11) Recommended. Saturdays at Sea is the fifth and final instalment of the wonderful, fantastical Castle Glower series! Fans of Jessica Day George's imaginative stories will be sad to reach the conclusion and with two more days to go - Sunday and Monday there are opportunities for a return to Castle Glower and a wedding or two to take place.
Written like a three act play, the story is firstly set in the flamboyant and exquisite Royal Palace of Grath and the picturesque seaside kingdom. The royal family and their entourage including their magnificent griffins visit the Kingdom of Grath for the upcoming wedding of Lilah and Lulath. They are also there to build the ship from pieces from all the kingdoms including magical pieces from the Castle Glower. Initially the ship builder Master Cathan refuses to use the other materials until Celie speaks up; she understand the reasons why the enchanted item need including.
The Grathian royal family are obsessed with customs; they change clothes continually, have hundreds of dogs, a multitude of beautiful rooms and speak in a rather poetic way. While the Castle Glower family are used to a different style of talking and dressing, they realise they must be accommodating for the sake of the engaged couple. When Grathian Prince Orlath returns from his sea adventures with his pet monkey, things begin to change. Celie, Pogue and Rolf assist the prince with the shipbuilding and Celie's feelings of missing Castle Glower are eased.
Lilah's quest to find the lost village of the unicorns directs the second act of the story. After the wonderful festivities of the betrothal celebrations, The Ship is ready for the maiden voyage. This enchanted vessel determines its own course and there is nothing to stop it. With Queen Celina's magic and her clever planning, they are able to survive. Their time aboard the speeding ship proves interesting. Magical places, mystical islands, trading ports, overcoming dangerous conditions and griffin rides make the second and third acts exciting.
Jessica Day George's fantasy series is an exciting and engaging read that leaves fans wanting to read about Celie and Pogue's future and witness the spectacle of Lilah and Lulath's wedding.
Rhyllis Bignell