There is a mediocre, but exciting sequel about Rose Rita Pottinger and Mrs. It’s the things left unsaid that really inspire the young imagination: What was the bottle of reddish brown liquid in the icebox? What happened to old mm, is he still hanging in the cellar across the street? Where… who… did that hand of glory come from, anyway? In the end, Lewis must discover what makes him unique in order to combat the carnage-craving couple. Zimmerman is priceless, a bickering old couple that reflect their own unique, modern relationship. Zimmerman, (a purple-laced, powerful enchantress who just might be the only one strong enough to challenge an evil witch resurrected from the dead… but that ticking! Where is the clock? Selenna is coming, and she has sorcery enough to freeze all the grownups dead in their tracks!īellairs’ story does a great job addressing themes of mourning and the desire to be accepted, and the banter between Uncle Jonathan and Mrs. We watch as Lewis keeps his mistake a secret from his uncle and their neighbor Mrs. We feel the hair on our arms rise as we see the headlights of a car following us over the winding country roads of New England in Edward Gorey’s illustrations.

Should it ever strike the hour, it will usher in the end of the world. The 4 lead characters balance each other out, but you need to read this book first because it establishes the world.We discover the dark history of Isaac Izard, a sky wizard who once owned Uncle Barnavelt’s mansion, and his hateful wife Selenna,* who conspired to construct a doomsday clock. I think the one for the actual film soon to be released is 'can you hear the ticking?' I might have gone with 'Each tick of the clock brings the world closer to its doom!'Īll the books by this author are very well done, but for this series things really become 'perfect' when Rose Rita is introduced in the second book. If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

A kind but blustery man who wants to make sure Lewis has a safe home. Uncle Johnathan really comes across perfectly. Which character – as performed by George Guidall – was your favorite? The many spooky supernatural elements will stay with you. What was one of the most memorable moments of The House with a Clock in Its Walls? He's flawed, but tries to do the right thing, even when He's scared, which is rare for the hero of any book, let alone one for young readers. I read this series when I was little & really identified with Lewis, being a less than athletic fat kid myself.

What did you love best about The House with a Clock in Its Walls?

The house with clock in its walls book