ALA Booklist (Mon Jul 01 00:00:00 CDT 2013)

Five students were the subject of two documentaries: Five at Six and Five at Eleven. Now the directors are shooting the third installment, Five at Sixteen. Narrator Justine is the funny one, while awkward Rory struggles with autism. Biracial Keira is still reeling from her mother's abandonment, and handsome athlete Nate's friendship with cheerful Latino Felix has faltered. At first Justine is reluctant to participate in the film, but she is drawn into the ever increasing drama. Castle has a great ear for teen dialogue, capturing the awkward pain of friends who have grown apart but must still interact. The documentary/reality aspect will attract readers, and the wealth of character development should keep them interested. While some might quibble that reality would not end as happily as the book does, that's just what will attract readers seeking thoughtful comfort-food reading.

Horn Book (Thu Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2013)

Justine, Rory, Felix, Keira, and Nate, stars of the hit documentary Five at Six, are poised to start shooting Five at Sixteen. But the teens go on the lam--camera in tow--to support one castmate on a personal quest. With its implicit commentary on reality-show culture, this provocative novel explores what makes observing strangers fumbling through life so entertaining--and so eye-opening.

Kirkus Reviews

Five teens linked by a documentary following their lives reunite to film a third installment. As 6-year-olds, they became easy friends, playing dress-up, watching cartoons and trying to stay quiet enough to win a prize from the kindergarten treasure box. At 11, their lives were more complicated. Autism, the loss of a parent and bullying are all caught on tape. When the filmmakers return five years later, the five barely speak to one another. Felix feels invisible. Nate is big man on campus. Keira is coldly beautiful. Rory is an awkward loner. Justine, the star of the first two movies, drifts without purpose. The reunion promises, for better or worse, to change everything. Multiple storylines and characters are slowly revealed through snippets from the films as well as Justine's memories. The five teens are well-rounded and interesting. Unfortunately, the story is unnecessarily complicated by a too-big cast and throwaway characters. Additionally, Justine's abrupt change from hating the camera to loving its voyeuristic power feels false. The story lags in the middle, making pacing an issue. In spite of these glitches, Castle's individual scenes shine. Unfortunately, the sum of the parts does not equal a whole. Clever premise, uneven execution. (Fiction. 13 & up)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

When Justine was six years old, she and four classmates were chosen to star in a series of documentaries filmed every five years to trace their changing personalities, interests, and concerns (the premise clearly owes to the Up series of films that have followed a group of British children until adulthood since 1964). Now it-s time to make the third installment, and 16-year-old Justine, having mixed feelings about her celebrity status, isn-t sure she wants to take part. After some coaxing, she reluctantly agrees, but she has no idea that the filming of her all-too-mundane life will lead her and the other participants on an unforgettable journey. In a sudden act of rebellion, the five decide to dismiss the director-s plans and take the recording in a new direction. Although the story is told from Justine-s perspective, her four classmates are equally complex and interesting, with deep personal conflicts. Castle (The Beginning of After) succeeds in providing suspense and drama as each character-s emotional baggage is unpacked on and off the screen. Ages 13-up. Agent: Jamie Weiss Chilton, Andrea Brown Literary Agency. (June)

School Library Journal (Mon Jul 01 00:00:00 CDT 2013)

Gr 8 Up-Ten years ago, five kindergarteners and their ordinary lives were the subject of a documentary. Five years later, they were featured in a second documentary. Now they're 16 and it's time to once again be in front of the camera. Many changes have occurred since the last time they were filmed: Rory's been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder; former best friends Nate, who has reinvented himself as a cool jock, and Felix no longer speak; Keira, whose worst memory was caught on film, is a member of the popular group; and Justine, the break-out "star" of the two earlier films, feels that she's no longer interesting and hasn't accomplished all she had hoped to. The producers struggle to find usable footage and resort to staging some scenes, which in previous years was unnecessary. A team-building weekend ensues, which Keira uses to further her own agenda. While the book starts off slow and a bit tedious, it becomes much more interesting and exciting around the time of the bonding weekend. This novel is an interesting look at difficult subjects, such as autism, homosexuality, and friendship. A perfect fit for fans of Siobhan Vivian, Deb Caletti, and Sara Zarr. Melissa Stock, Arapahoe Library District, Englewood, CO