Synopses & Reviews
From master storyteller Kate DiCamillo comes an original fairy tale — with enchanting illustrations by Julie Morstad — in which five puppets confront circumstances beyond their control with patience, cunning, and high spirits.
Shut up in a trunk by a taciturn old sea captain with a secret, five friends — a king, a wolf, a girl, a boy, and an owl — bicker, boast, and comfort one another in the dark. Individually, they dream of song and light, freedom and flight, purpose and glory, but they all agree they are part of a larger story, bound each to each by chance, bonded by the heart's mysteries. When at last their shared fate arrives, landing them on a mantel in a blue room in the home of two little girls, the truth is more astonishing than any of them could have imagined. A beloved author of modern classics draws on her most moving themes with humor, heart, and wisdom in the first of the Norendy Tales, a projected trio of novellas linked by place and mood, each illustrated in black and white by a different virtuoso illustrator. A magical and beautifully packaged gift volume designed to be read aloud and shared, The Puppets of Spelhorst is a tale that soothes and strengthens us on our journey, leading us through whatever dark forest we find ourselves in.
Review
“DiCamillo's storytelling is as effortless as always, and Morstad's frequent pencil illustrations elevate it further….This collaboration by two masters of their craft — a Newbery Medalist and a Governor General's Literary Award finalist — will prove irresistible.” Booklist (Starred Review)
Review
“Like many other stories featuring toys, from Hitty to The Mouse and His Child, there is a strain of melancholy here, with characters who long for autonomy but whose existence is dependent on the imaginations of others.” The Horn Book (Starred Review)
Review
“Newbery Medalist DiCamillo applies spare prose and witty conversation in fleshing out the puppets' desires as well as exploring the power of stories to promote community and offer a path to fulfillment.” Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)
About the Author
Kate DiCamillo is one of America's most beloved storytellers. She is a former National Ambassador for Young People's Literature and a two-time Newbery Medalist. Born in Philadelphia, she grew up in Florida and now lives in Minneapolis.
Julie Morstad is the illustrator of numerous acclaimed books for young readers, including House of Dreams: The Life of L. M. Montgomery by Liz Rosenberg, When Green Becomes Tomatoes by Julie Fogliano, and Swan: The Life and Dance of Anna Pavlova by Laurel Snyder. She lives in Vancouver, British Columbia.