Five puppets who belonged briefly to a lonely sea captain named Spelhorst feel a shared sense of purpose—that they are meant to be in a story—and individual longing. The wolf wants to use her sharp teeth to destroy; the owl with real feathers wants to fly; the king with a crown wants to command; the boy with bow and arrows wants to do something important; and the girl with violet eyes is keen on seeing the world. The puppets are given to two sisters, Emma and Martha. Emma, captivated, writes a play to perform with them. Martha, less enamored, pulls two of the wolf’s teeth. More shocking, disruptive misfortune befalls the puppets in the hours that follow, until it’s time to put on the show. Emma, Martha, and their maid, Jane (all white), use the puppets to tell the story of a boy who loved a girl with violet eyes but was gone so long seeking his fortune at sea that he lost her. Afterward, curious Jane reconsiders her life, and the puppets sense that they “contain stories upon stories. Stories without end.” It’s an idea made manifest by a surprise ending suggesting a multitude of possibilities for them all. Exceptional characterizations—puppets and human alike—make this tender, funny tale brimming with unexpected moments and satisfying full-circle elements come alive. The setting has the feel of 19th-century Europe. (Ages 7-10)

A New York Times bestseller!

"Kate DiCamillo's dazzling first title in the Norendy Tales trilogy is brimming with wit, whimsy, and heart as it follows five puppets fulfilling their thrilling shared destiny." - Shelf Awareness

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. A magical and beautifully packaged gift volume designed to be read aloud and shared, The Puppets of Spelhorst is a tale that soothes and strengthens us on our journey, leading us through whatever dark forest we find ourselves in.