The Puppets of Spelhorst: A Norendy Tale by Kate DiCamillo

Title: The Puppets of Spelhorst: A Norendy Tale

Author: Kate DiCamillo

Genre: Fantasy

Publisher: Walker Books

Published: 18^th October 2023

Format: Hardcover

Pages: 160

Price: $24.99

Synopsis: From master storyteller Kate DiCamillo comes an original fairy tale, enchantingly illustrated, in which five puppets confront circumstances beyond their control with patience, cunning and high spirits.
Once, there was a king. And a wolf. And a girl with a shepherd’s crook. And a boy with a bow and arrow. And also, there was an owl… They were puppets, and they were waiting for a story to begin.

In this new work of short fiction by twice winner of the Newbery Medal Kate DiCamillo, exquisitely illustrated in black and white by Governor General Literary Award Finalist Julie Morstad, five puppets who find themselves together in an abandoned trunk are carried off into the adventure of a lifetime.

• The first book in a new series: The Norendy Tales Each book in the series will be beautifully illustrated by a different master illustrator.
• Beloved storyteller Kate DiCamillo has won the prestigious Newbery Medal twice, for the Tales of Despereaux and Flora and Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures, which was also shortlisted for the Guardian Children’s Book Award.
• A perfect gift for a family read-aloud, with its spacious layout lending appeal to reluctant readers.

~*~

Five puppets are staring out the window of a toyshop when an old sea captain, Spelhorst, stumbles across them. He’s enchanted by the girl – she reminds him of someone he once knew. But he must take them all – they come as a set, and the toyshop owner won’t part with them any other way. However, this is just the start of their journey. Tossed into an abandoned trunk, this is where their story truly begins – on the back of a rag-and-bone man’s cart, to their new home with Emma and Martha and an adventure that sees them trying to find their way back to each other – and the story that they are destined to tell.

Kate DiCamillo’s latest novel for readers aged seven and older, exploring the magical world of storytelling from an award-winning author. The story is told through the eyes of the puppets: the king, the boy, the girl, the owl, and the wolf (who is very obsessed with her teeth), and how they understand what they are seeing and experiencing. But things don’t go to plan – whilst Emma is crafting a story, the puppets start disappearing – where could they be going, and why are they all leaving the king behind? In true Kate DiCamillo style, the story is gentle, with moments where things seem like they might go a different way and the puppets might be separated. Yet, there is always hope and a sense of magic and whimsy as the puppets tell their story, seeking the story that is truly theirs. It is beautifully done, with the voices strong and vibrant.

Each puppet has their own personality – from the king who is destined to rule, to the unflappable owl with real feathers, and the wolf who loves her teeth. Each one makes the story what it is, and they are there to create their own story as well, from the old trunk to the skies and snow, and the mantlepiece – and beyond, they fill the world of the story with creativity and ingenuity. It seems like a simple story – on the surface it is. Yet read deeper and you’ll see themes of friendship and family, and the role that creativity plays in our lives. What we see as our purpose in life – for these puppets, it is to tell a story. Puppets have been used for years as a way to tell stories – from hand puppets to marionettes and finger puppets. This story celebrates the creativity that puppets can evoke, and the different ways they can tell stories and what happens when special puppets come into our lives. As this is the first book in the series, it felt like it was setting up a plot that would become more involved in some way. It hints at things to come with one of the characters and I can’t wait to see where this goes.

This is a delightful book filled with heart and imagination, and the series sounds like it is going to be promising.