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Title details for The Puppets of Spelhorst by Kate DiCamillo - Available

The Puppets of Spelhorst

by Kate DiCamillo
Allan Corduner
Audiobook
2 of 2 copies available
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2 of 2 copies available
A New York Times bestseller!
“Kate DiCamillo's dazzling first title in the Norendy Tales trilogy is brimming with wit, whimsy, and heart as it follows five puppets fulfilling their thrilling shared destiny.” – Shelf Awareness
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.

  • Creators

  • Series

    The Norendy Tales

  • Publisher

  • Awards

  • Release date

    October 10, 2023

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9780593683088
      • File size: 47759 KB
      • Duration: 01:39:29

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • Publisher's Weekly

      Starred review from August 14, 2023
      A quintet of puppets—“the king and the wolf and the girl/ and the boy and the owl”—ponder their dreams and yearnings in this quietly entrancing novella told in three acts. Following the death of their owner, a regretful old sea captain called Spelhorst, the five puppets, said to be “in a story together,” are bundled into their trunk, sold to a musical rag-and-bone man, and eventually given to sisters Martha and Emma. After one of the sisters arranges the puppets on the mantel and begins working to include them in a play, each puppet undergoes a brief adventure that speaks to their nature: a king longing to rule, a wolf preoccupied with her own sharp teeth, a watchful girl with violet eyes, a boy longing to “do a great deed,” and a portentous owl with real feathers. 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. Occasional pencil illustrations from Morstad (Time Is a Flower) elegantly portray the figures, whose skin reflects the white of the page. Ages 7–10. Author’s agent: Holly McGhee, Pippin Properties. Illustrator’s agent: Emily Van Beek, Folio Jr./Folio Literary.

    • Good Reading Magazine
      Once upon a time there was an old sea captain. He lived alone in a small room above a shop. He had no family. He was lonely and as he listened to the noises from the shop below, pigeons arrived on his windowsill. One day he decided to go for a walk and came upon a toy shop. In the window were puppets hanging on a fishing line. A king and a wolf and a girl and a boy and an owl. The girl had a heart-shaped face like someone he loved long ago. He went in to purchase her. But the owner would not split the puppets up. He had to buy them all if he wanted the one. The man took them home and put them all in a trunk except for the girl who had violet eyes. He wept as he wrote a letter, placing it in the trunk. When the man fell asleep the puppets began to talk to each other. For the first time the girl saw the moon. This is a story of five puppets and what happens to them after they are given to a family with two young girls. They are placed on a mantlepiece with each having an adventure of sorts. The language the puppets use is clever. The king who keeps making commandments, the wolf who can’t be quiet about his truly sharp teeth. The boy who is over the wolf talking about his teeth. The owl’s wise words. Kate DiCamillo always takes my breath away with her books. The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane and The Tale of Despereaux are just two that I would recommend to you. Like many fairytales The Puppets of Spelhorst is dark, with moments of cruelty, as life can be. But it is wonderful. Reviewed by Rowena Morcom Age Guide 7+   ABOUT THE AUTHOR I was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, raised in Clermont, Florida, and currently live in Minneapolis, Minnesota. I write for both children and adults and I like to think of myself as a storyteller. Here are a few more facts about me: I am short. And loud. I hate to cook and love to eat. I am single and childless, but I have lots of friends and I am an aunt to three lovely children (Luke, Roxanne, and Max) and one lovable dog (Ramona). I think of myself as an enormously lucky person: I get to tell stories for a living. Visit Kate Camillo's website

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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