Originally published in 1975, this fifth entry in author Helen Nicoll and illustrator Jan Pieńkowski's witchy picture-book series follows Meg, Mog and Owl as they head off for a stay at a nearby castle. When a fearsome ghost wakes the three late at night, Meg's spell - "Helmet and shield / And 6 foot spear / Ghastly ghost / Please disappear" - transforms him into George the knight, and the foursome are soon involved in an all-out battle to defend the castle from an intruder.

Although I have enjoyed the Meg and Mog books, appreciating their combination of simple text and vivid illustrations, which I think admirably suited to entertain younger preschool children, I would not describe them, generally speaking, as witchy favorites. That said, I had to give Meg's Castle an extra star for the artwork, which I found particularly outstanding. The colors used, the composition of shapes on each page, the layout of the text: everything combined to make this a visual treat! The scene in which the trio climbs the orange spiral stairs against the backdrop of a yellow page evokes a sense of motion, while the facing page, which shows them peacefully asleep in a red bed, against a deep blue backdrop, suggests (despite the bright colors) calmness. The black pages, during their night-time scare with the ghost, when only their eyes, and the text itself (in green, pink and white) can be seen, successfully communicates both humor and chills. All in all, this may be my favorite Meg and Mog book thus far, and is a distinct triumph for illustrator Jan Pieńkowski. ( )