*The Puppets of Spelhorst by Kate DiCamillo

The Puppets of Spelhorst is a bittersweet fairy tale with engaging characters and an enthralling conclusion.

*The Puppets of Spelhorst: A Norendy Tale by Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by Julie Morstad. Candlewick, 2023, 160 pages.

Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 8-10

Recommended for: ages 6-10 as a read-aloud, 8-12 for independent readers

The puppets—a king, a girl, a boy, an owl, and a wolf, had resided in a dusty shop for untold years before the old sea captain notices them. The girl takes his eye. She reminds him of someone he had loved long ago: “Loved and lost, loved and lost, the ever-repeating story of the world.” He tries to buy her, but the storekeeper insists the five have to be sold together, “for they are in a story.” So Captain Spelhorst takes them all to his rented room, sets the girl on the table before him and spends the evening apologizing to her. Then he writes a letter, and in the morning he is dead.

Jumbled in a sea chest together, the puppets are sold to a rag-and-bone man, then to a young man who presents them to his two nieces, Emily and Martha. Emily has plans for them that Martha doesn’t share, and the little girl’s actions send each of the puppets spiraling off to separate adventures. But their one story remains, and for that they must be reunited.

It’s a lovely fairy tale, simply but elegantly told. A recurring theme in DiCamillo’s novels is that no one is an entirely separate individual, able to operate independently; we are all part of a larger story. The neglected, the rejected, and the ignored still have their place. The humble will be exalted and the proud brought down, and all, if they are not blinded by their own ambitions, may rejoice in the wider world. It’s a read-aloud that can be read again and again, with words, characters, and pictures to savor.

Overall Rating: 5 (out of 5)

• Worldview/moral value: 5
• Artistic/literary value:5  

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Also at Redeemed Reader:

• Review: The Magician’s Elephant is another DiCamillo fairy tale with worthwhile themes.
• Reviews: DiCamillo is definitely one of today’s foremost children’s authors, working within a wide range of genres and ages—picture books, chapter books, fantasy, realistic fiction for ages 0-14. We’ve reviewed more of her books than I have time to list here. Just type her name in the search box and see what comes up.
• Reviews: The Puppetmaster’s Apprentice and Splendors and Glooms are worthwhile reads for older readers, featuring lifelike puppets and thought-provoking themes.
• Resource: A list of more read-aloud fairy-tale treasuries.

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