The Castle in the Attic
Elizabeth Winthrop
and
The Whipping Boy
Sid Fleischman
Summary
• William, the main character, finds magic in his toy castle
and embarks on a journey that helps him understand the
true meaning of courage.
In The Castle in the Attic, Mrs. Phillips, the housekeeper
who has cared for William since he was born, decides to
return to England to be near her family. As a parting gift,
she gives William a beloved toy castle that has been in her
family for generations. The castle, which is placed in
William’s attic, seems mysterious and strange. As William
plots a way to keep Mrs. Phillips from leaving him, he
discovers the magic of the castle and finds himself off on a
fantastic quest to another land, where he encounters an
evil wizard and a fiery dragon.
About the Author…
• Elizabeth Winthrop was born in 1948 in Washington, D.C.
• In addition to being a writer, she is also a wife and mother
of two children.
• Elizabeth wrote her first story when she was 12.
– She accidentally left it on a bus, and this upset her so much that
she stopped writing for five years!
• She began writing again in high school (while taking a writing class).
• Elizabeth continues to write at home in her office in the
attic.
• Other books by Elizabeth Winthrop:
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Counting on Grace (working in textile mills)
Marathon Miranda (learning to run and compete)
Walking Away (ties between family and friends)
The Battle for the Castle (sequel to Castle in the Attic)
Summary
• The King's son, Prince Horace, is a spoiled-rotten
• brat. He is known everywhere as Prince Brat. He is
• always up to no good and is deserving of whippings.
However, as is the royal custom, princes are not to be harmed
in any way, which means he will never be truly punished,
whipped, beaten, or slapped. Instead, the castle employs a
common boy to be the whipping boy. Each time the prince
does something wrong, the servants fetch the whipping boy,
Jemmy. The son of a rat catcher, Jemmy tolerates the
constant whippings without making a sound. One night, the
prince sneaks into Jemmy's bedroom and demands the
whipping boy to runaway with him. Jemmy protests, thinking
of the consequences he will surely face when they are caught,
yet he has no choice but to accompany the prince. The prince
and Jemmy run away together, but it is not long before they
are caught and held captive by two gruesome highwaymen!
The prince and Jemmy must learn to work together if they
have any hope of surviving their amazing adventure.
About the Author…
• Sid Fleischman, a Newberry Award winning author,
was born in Brooklyn, New York during the Great
Depression (1930s).
• In 5th grade, he decided he wanted to become a
magician. After high school, Fleischman did, indeed,
become a magician. He also served in the U.S. Navy
and worked as a newspaper reporter. He later
became a writer of books.
• Other books by Fleischman:
– The Thirteenth Floor
– The Ghost in the Noonday Sun
All about Castles!
• Castles were not just buildings; they were
fortresses made to protect people from
military conflict.
England
Germany
Austria
USA