A story about magic, courage and fate.
Author: Kate DiCamillo
Illustrated by: Julie Morstad
Published by Candlewick Press, October 2023
ISBN 978-1-5362-16752
Ages: 8+
Pages: 160
Category: Children's books, Chapter book, Novel, Fiction, Fantasy
If you and your students have never read Kate before, it is time you do!
This story can be a good starting point!
Kate DiCamillo is one of America's most famous and loved storytellers. She is a twice winner of the Newbery Medal. She writes for children and adolescents but her stories are loved by adults as well.
This is the first of her Norendy Tales trilogy, a fairy tale about puppets, their destiny and their struggle to achieve dreams and hopes.
How is it organized?
The story is 160 pages long, with 28 chapters in 3 acts. It is very easy to read as each chapter is only a few pages long. That makes it suitable to read aloud in class and a good chance to create suspense. The beautiful illustrations in black and white, which reflect the interior lives of the protagonists, are scattered throughout the story to support its magic.
What is the story about?
The story begins when Captain Spelhorst, a lonely old sea man who on the last days of his life, reluctantly, buys five puppets as only one of them reminds him of his lost love, Annalise. After he dies, the puppets, and a mysterious letter, go from one owner to the next till they end up in the hands of two sisters. The girls are happy with their new gift, they write a play that would give each puppet a sense of satisfaction as their destiny will be fulfilled. In their new home, apart from the two girls, mother, father and uncle, there is Mrs. Twiddum, a woman with dreams of her own.
The puppets, a boy, a girl, a king, an owl and a wolf, though passive come to life. They have their own hopes and dreams about what they'd like to accomplish in life.
The owl wants to fly.
The wolf is proud of her sharp teeth and wants to bite!
The girl wants to be part of a story, and the boy wants to discover his true destiny.
The king wants to rule, be listened to and be obeyed.
They all enjoy the songs they hear on their journey. They marvel at the sun and the moon.
Little do they know what awaits them when they become the gift to two beloved nieces.
There, they go through tough moments that only make them stronger, they learn about kindness and unpleasant acts.
They are separated and reunited but they know they must remain together because they are part of a larger story.
After all, aren't we all puppets in a world we can't control? Don't we need each other to find a sense in life? Aren't we often disappointed and still find the inner force to go on? Aren't we bound to each other by chance?
It is a nostalgic tale of loss and discovery, suspense and perseverance, love and togetherness.
The Puppets of Spelhorst is about the importance of dreams and simple things, about finding the strength and courage to continue and confronting circumstances beyond control with patience and high spirits.
The story is suitable for children and adolescents alike. It can be used to reflect upon feelings and to learn to cope with life especially when things do not turn out as expected. It is an example of the power we have to shape our destiny.
Since the puppet show is a story within the story; it can be used to spark imagination and perform other shows.
It is a story you will read again and again only to discover something new every time.
This review was published in the IATEFL LIT SIG newsletter. January 2025
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