A beautiful story of, quite literally, overcoming walls between people. Young Ibb, a girl with a green backpack and two black puffs of hair, walks by the castle every day. Like Wonka's chocolate factory, "For reasons no one could remember, no one ever came out. And no one was allowed in." But curious, open-minded Ibb knocks on the castle door, receives an invitation, and goes - despite the warnings from teachers, classmates, and family ("Monsters!" "Giants!" "Snakes!"). Inside, she finds a kind, lonely guard named William, who shows her around; together, Ibb and the reader find the source of the sounds that created the rumors of monsters, giants, and snakes. Ibb herself is able to provide the bridge between William, the castle, and the community, so that in the end, "Sometimes, someone came out. And everyone was welcome in."

Ibb's outlook - "Maybe it's something terrible, Ibb thought one day, but maybe it's something else" - is a welcome, refreshing worldview, a change from the knee-jerk fear of the unknown. Pen and ink and watercolor illustrations suit and enhance the text perfectly.

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Re-read January 2020

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Re-read February/March 2021
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Re-read March 2022
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Re-read February 2024 ( )