Danny Parker (text), Guy Shield (illus.), Party at Cuddleton Castle (Lola’s Toy Box), Hardie Grant Egmont, 1 August 2016, 96pp., $12.99 (pbk), ISBN: 9781760126858
Party at Cuddleton Castle starts with Lola hiding. She thinks she is playing hide and seek with her brother, Nick. But unfortunately, Nick just wants to listen to music and Lola is left with no playmate, except her constant companion Buddy. Buddy is a toy clown who comes alive every time they go on an adventure in the toy box and says things like ‘lash my laces’ and ‘twirl my toggles’. Lola decides to go into her toy box for another adventure and it doesn’t disappoint. She is transported to Cuddleton Castle and the birthday party of the Great High Bear.
In her adventure, Lola meets all sorts of bears, including the Great High Bear himself. She is surprised, however, when she finds out that the Great High Bear’s enemy, the Plastic Prince, has sent over the giant birthday cake with a card saying he wants to be friends. Lola is, of course, suspicious. But the Great High Bear believes that the Plastic Prince just wants to patch things up. Lola isn’t convinced and she investigates further.
Things get even more serious when the Plastic Prince himself shows up and tries to kidnap Lola! But she is quite a quick-thinker and figures out a way to stop the Plastic Prince’s plans. Lola saves the day and everything ends well. When Lola goes back to the real world and faces her brother, she is calmer about dealing with the whole hide-and-seek game that didn’t happen.
My seven-year-old daughter finished the book in two readings. This is the first Lola’s Toy Box book she’s read and she said she quite enjoyed it. “It is a good story. Lots of adventures for Lola. It is quite well written and a good book for young readers, like me. It is also a good book to start on when you’re just starting to read on your own,” she said. It certainly is. It kept my little one occupied on a rainy day.
Reviewed by Kristyn M Levis
