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The Birthday Castle
A QUIX Book
Book #1 of Fort Builders Inc.
By Dee Romito
Illustrated by Marta Kissi
Table of Contents
About The Book
A group of friends use teamwork, creativity, and construction know-how to start their own fort building company in the first story in a new, fun-to-read Aladdin QUIX chapter book series that’s perfect for emerging readers!
Caleb could really use a bit more spending money—he needs to buy the next book in his favorite series so he can see what happens! But what can he do to raise funds once his allowance runs out? Caleb puts his head together with his best friend, Jax, and a couple other kids in their neighborhood, and come up with a brilliant idea. They’re going to start their own fort-building business! Good forts are always in demand, and who better to design and construct them than kids? But when Fort Builders, Inc., gets their first gig, the group has trouble agreeing on the right way to go about it. Can they learn to work together in time to build an incredible fort, or will their business be over before it even begins?
Caleb could really use a bit more spending money—he needs to buy the next book in his favorite series so he can see what happens! But what can he do to raise funds once his allowance runs out? Caleb puts his head together with his best friend, Jax, and a couple other kids in their neighborhood, and come up with a brilliant idea. They’re going to start their own fort-building business! Good forts are always in demand, and who better to design and construct them than kids? But when Fort Builders, Inc., gets their first gig, the group has trouble agreeing on the right way to go about it. Can they learn to work together in time to build an incredible fort, or will their business be over before it even begins?
About The Author
Photograph by Dee Romito
Dee Romito is an author of fiction and nonfiction books for young readers, including the Fort Builders Inc. chapter book series and several middle grade stories. Her debut picture book, Pies from Nowhere: How Georgia Gilmore Sustained the Montgomery Bus Boycott, received a starred review from Booklist, and The Last Plastic Straw: A Plastic Problem and Finding Ways to Fix It was a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection. While she does her best to be a grown-up most of the time, giggling with her BFFs is still one of her all-time favorite things. You can visit her website at DeeRomito.com.
About The Illustrator
Marta Dlugolecka (a.k.a. Marta Kissi) is a freelance illustrator living and working in London. She studied illustration and animation at Kingston University and then completed her MA at the Royal College of Art. Since, Marta has been working on various children book projects as well as covers and editorial pieces for both children and adults. In her work she likes mixing her love for crafts and model making with a little bit of digital magic, with hope to create images that are both fun and emotional.
Product Details
- Publisher: Aladdin (July 1, 2020)
- Length: 96 pages
- ISBN13: 9781534452381
- Ages: 5 - 8
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Raves and Reviews
"This format for a chapter book helps children see not only the fun in reading, but also gives them the chance to emulate the projects featured in the book. Teachers could easily use this as a group activity that culminates with a building project."
– School Library Connection
"A great choice for future engineers, entrepreneurs, and readers who enjoy a fun story that will spark the imagination."
– School Library Journal
Resources and Downloads
High Resolution Images
- Book Cover Image (jpg): The Birthday Castle Trade Paperback 9781534452381
- Author Photo (jpg): Dee Romito Photograph by Dee Romito(0.1 MB)
Any use of an author photo must include its respective photo credit
