The Ghostly Guardians of the Castle

Mar Ziq's The Ghostly Guardians of the Castle is a treasure-hunting adventure for 8 year olds about four friends who spend a whole night inside a haunted castle.

What happens

Alex, Emma, Max and Lily have a clubhouse covered in maps and sketches from their earlier adventures. Now they've set their sights on the castle everyone tells stories about. It's been empty for centuries, its walls whisper, and there's meant to be treasure hidden somewhere inside.

So they pack torches, snacks and extra jumpers and head in by moonlight.

It's a puzzle quest more than a scary story. There are secret passages behind bookcases, old letters from the nobleman who used to live there, and a painting whose symbols join up to make a map of the stars. They even find a golden key in the courtyard, only for a gust of wind to whip it away.

The ghosts are friendly, too. They're the spirits of treasure hunters who never made it out, and they give the four friends advice rather than a fright.

Each friend has their own job. Alex leads, Emma solves the puzzles, Max is the strong one and Lily is the kind one who notices how everyone's feeling. That makes it very easy for a young reader to pick a favourite (and maybe decide which one they'd be).

Later on the castle turns properly magical. There's a garden full of talking squirrels, a mischievous gnome called Gus who speaks in riddles, and a waterfall they have to jump into to get to the other side.

The writing tells you exactly how everyone feels at every step, with lots of pounding hearts and promises to stick together. So it's easy to follow, and the message about friendship and teamwork is very clear.

If your reader loves the idea of a haunted castle but not the nightmares that can come with one, this is a gentle place to start.

What to read next

If they're after another castle full of secret passages, Goblins in the Castle has a boy called William who has lived in one all his life and has always been told to stay away from the North Tower.