Friday, January 5, 2024

The Puppets of Spelhorst by Kate DiCamillo and Julie Morstad - ADVISABLE

The Puppets of Spelhorst by Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by Julie Morstad
. 160 pages. Candlewick, 2023. $18 

Content: G

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

5 puppets are given as a gift to two little girls, Emma and Martha. Emma writes a play and the girls, and their maid perform for the guests of their parents at a dinner party. 

The summary doesn't do this marvelous story justice. It is told through the voices of the puppets, who see themselves as real. The wolf won't stop talking about how sharp her teeth are, and the king is altogether pompous and demanding. They have dreams of doing what real boys and owls and girls and wolves do - the king is waiting to be revered as king. Julie Morstad's illustrations are simply marvelous, suggesting the period is Victorian England, and they remind me of Edward Gorey's style. With the short chapters and the engaging story, The Puppets of Spelhorst would make a great read-aloud or bedtime story as well. 

Lisa Librarian

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