The Puppets of Spelhorst

"Guaranteed to enchant young readers. 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)

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. This first tale is one that promises to soothe and strengthen us on our journey, leading us through whatever dark forest we find ourselves in.

Author: Kate DiCamillo
Publisher: Candlewick Press (MA)
Published: 08/27/2024
Pages: 176
Binding Type: Paperback
Series: The Norendy Tales
Weight: 0.40lbs
Size: 7.80h x 5.20w x 0.50d
ISBN: 9781536239874
Audience: Ages 9-12

Accelerated Reader:
Reading Level: 4.1
Point Value: 2
Interest Level: Middle Grade
Quiz #/Name: 520937 / Puppets of Spelhorst

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.