Like DiCamillo’s other works, The Puppets of Spelhorst’s prose is simple yet exceedingly powerful. This is a story about the inner lives of puppets. This is a story about stories. This is a story about regret. It is charming, wise, and packs a punch. Like any good children’s book, Puppets can be read and enjoyed by children and adults alike.
“Stories without end—watching them unfold, being a part of their unfolding—what a blessing that would be.”
And for those looking for books to read and discuss with your children, this book comes with a page of excellent discussion questions in the back.
Review by Andrew
The Puppets of Spelhorst by Kate DiCamillo
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.