Geronimo Stilton #22: The Secret of Cacklefur Castle

Geronimo Stilton #22: The Secret of Cacklefur Castle

111 pages

Published by Scholastic in 2005

One boring day, Geronimo Stilton got a phone call from his most frightening acquaintance Creepella von Cacklefur who invited him to her family’s castle. Geronimo was spooked by the strange Creepella who lived in a crypt in the cemetery and had a pet bat named Bitewing. Creepella’s father, Boris von Cacklefur operated a funeral home. However, Geronimo was most uncomfortable with Creepella because she wanted him to be her boyfriend (and marry her)!

Geronimo tried to turn down Creepella’s invitation, but she was most persistent. Creepella soon appeared at Geronimo’s doorstep, hoisted him into her hearse and zoomed on to Cacklefur Castle which was situated in the Valley of the Vain Vampires. Creepella ignored Geronimo’s protests and wails about wanting to return back home.

If Geronimo thought Creepella was spooky, he found out that her family members – as well as the castle – even more spooky. The castle sat on top of a skull-shaped mountain. There is a room in the castle which has a view of the graveyard (to which Creepella said, a lovely view). There is a biting plant named Chompers by the front door, and flesh-eating strawberries in the garden. The Cacklefurs kept a giant cockroach as a pet. The castle cook, Chef Stewrat, specialized in cooking [stinking] stew – and his pot of stew had been simmering non-stop for the last five hundred years! There is a resident poltergeist in Cacklefur Castle, and mummies are also kept in the castle. Worst of all, furnitures at Cacklefur Castle – even the toilets – often played jokes on people! Geronimo was on the brink of hysterics as he had not been able to use the toilet properly.

However, not long after, two incidents taking place in succession changed Geronimo’s view of the Cacklefurs forever. The first incident was when the Cacklefurs were presented with a most unexpected situation: they discovered a foundling on their doorstep! Immediately, all the Cacklefurs agreed to adopt the baby and make him one of their own family. Geronimo was moved by how caring and loving the Cacklefurs were when they welcomed the baby into the family.

The second incident involved Geronimo himself; the castle library suddenly caught fire and Geronimo had quickly put out the fire (using a pot of Chef Stewrat’s stew). The Cacklefurs were so thankful that they officially declared Geronimo as a part of their family, too.

Despite their weird and spooky appearances, all the Cacklefurs are actually very loving and warm. Finally Geronimo realized that he should not have judged the Cacklefurs without really knowing them first. Geronimo then began to enjoy his stay at Cacklefur Castle and even felt sorry when it was time for him to go back home.