From master storyteller Kate DiCamillo comes an original fairy tale, enchantingly illustrated, in which five puppets confront circumstances beyond their control with patience, cunning and high spirits.
Once, there was a king. And a wolf. And a girl with a shepherd’s crook. And a boy with a bow and arrow. And also, there was an owl… They were puppets, and they were waiting for a story to begin.
In this new work of short fiction by twice winner of the Newbery Medal Kate DiCamillo, exquisitely illustrated in black and white by Governor General Literary Award Finalist Julie Morstad, five puppets who find themselves together in an abandoned trunk are carried off into the adventure of a lifetime.
Recommended for ages 7+.
Buy a copy of The Puppets of Spelhorst here.
Read some great reviews from our Preview readers here:
It was so good. It had very descriptive language and I loved how the puppets went on a big journey. It was really cool when Emma, Martha and Jane put on a show because it was actually Spelhorst’s story. I love how Spelhorst walked for so long into a dark alleyway and found the puppets. My favourite puppet is the girl because she is so wondrous and happy. I loved the way the owl spoke (such wise words), I loved how the wolf found his dream, I loved how the king liked to listen to songs, I loved how the boy was never really worried and I loved how the girl was so wondrous and happy. I love how in the end Jane went on the adventure she always wanted to go on (A.K.A her dream). Ella, aged 9, ACT, 5 Stars
I really enjoyed the Puppets of Spelhorst. It is a great read and a treat to have an original fairy tale instead of rehashing the traditional fairytales. It has creativity and the characters take you to a world of imagination. Nicola, QLD, 5 Stars
A wonderfully written and beautifully illustrated book filled with charm and storytelling wonder. The Puppets of Spelhorst is a fairytale story about five puppets and their dreams and adventures. This book was enjoyed by myself and my young sister at bedtime. The illustrations were captivating, the black and white artwork brought the characters to life and complemented the story. The prose was delightful and filled my heart with a child-like nostalgia. My family and I look forward to reading the future novellas together. This book can be reread and enjoyed for many years to come. This magical tale is suitable for both adults and children to enjoy. Brittany, aged 10, VIC, 5 Stars
I really like the story. I love the magic of the story and how the impossible can happen. I loved being transformed into a different world. It’s a really enjoyable read and I recommend other kids to read it. Hallie, aged 10, WA, 5 Stars
Having read and enjoyed Because of Winn-Dixie I was very happy to receive an ARC of the author’s latest book, The Puppets of Spelhorst, through the Better Reading preview program. “Once, there was a king. And a wolf. And a girl with a shepherd’s crook. And a boy with arrows and a bow. And also, there was an owl.” So begins this wonderful, original fairy tale which is illustrated in black and white by Julie Morstad. Her illustrations complement the written word beautifully, bringing the puppets/characters to life and adding a richness to the tale. I liked the author’s idea of telling the tale through the eyes of each of the puppets individually and in their interactions with each other. It worked well and the puppets were able to talk to each other but the humans in the tale were unable to hear them. This gave us a privileged position as readers. The book is written for the 7-10 years age group but is a tale full of hope and love which I’m sure will be enjoyed by all ages. I look forward to sharing it with my grandchildren. Ruth, WA, 5 Stars
This is a beautifully illustrated and written fairytale read aloud!! Loved this book and so did my 6-year-old. Will be looking to get more books from Kate DiCamillo. Gabrielle, NSW, 5 Stars
This novella of three acts tells the story of four puppets, a king, a wolf, an owl and a boy whose owner has died. Subsequently, they are sold to the rag and bone man before being given to the sisters Martha and Emma. The puppets are displayed on a mantle and the older sister writes a play including them all in it. Each of the puppets then has a brief adventure relevant to their nature. Some tension arises as the puppets wonder if they will ever be together again. Some illustrations beautifully portray the characters. Catherine, QLD, 5 Stars
I loved this book. It was sad but also ended with hope. It was beautifully illustrated and written. Heartfelt emotions and brought the puppets to life with their own personalities. A wonderful book. Renae, QLD, 5 Stars
What a delightful book about a story within a story within a story! Appeals on so many levels to different age groups. Illustrations add much to the story as well. Sad, uplifting, full of hope and an illustration of personality types. Lina, VIC, 5 Stars
A clever and quirky fairytale that reads like a Jane Austen for children. I think my daughter will really love all of the puppets and also laugh at their antics when she masters reading books without lots of pictures. The twist at the end is devastating but possibly a good introduction to children that not all fairytales will have happy endings. Would recommend this book definitely for young readers looking to start the next level of reading adventures from picture books. Frances, NSW, 5 Stars
Kate DiCamillo’s gorgeous fairy tale The Puppets of Spelhorst is a charming, heartwarming, tear-jerker full of delightful characters, honest emotions, wise life lessons and a sprinkling of magic. Like a soft warm hug, the tale engulfs you, drawing you into a dream-like other world of puppets and hope and stories and love. Julie Morstad’s divine illustrations serve to augment the charm and whimsy of this delightful story. A gem of a book, highly recommended for readers everywhere! Many thanks to Better Reading for the ARC! Imogen, VIC, 5 Stars
I really enjoyed The Puppets of Spelhorst. I will certainly give it 5 out of 5. It was very interesting and amusing from the complicated storyline and characters each having their own story. The girl is my favourite of the puppets. The play in Martha’s home was excellent. Adriana, aged 8, NSW, 5 Stars
The Puppets of Spelhorst is a simple and moving tale written by Kate DiCamillo and beautifully illustrated by Julie Morstad. With all her customary whimsy, Kate explores deep issues of identity, destiny, love, life and death through the eyes and voices of five puppets taken on a journey beyond their control. Readers will be drawn into this gentle tale together with the characters as they discover the magic of watching the unfolding, and being part of the unfolding, of a story. This book is bound to delight audiences both young and old with its tender yet surprising narrative and the sweet black-and-white illustrations that accompany it. Phyllis, NSW, 5 Stars
A beautiful classical tale of the different adventures of 5 puppets bonded together. To see the world in the eyes of each puppet was beautifully written and easy for children to read. This book teaches hope and patience that things happen for a reason in due time. The characters are believable, like sisters Emma and Martha. The story is great for primary school to even early high school children. Reagan, aged 14, VIC, 5 Stars
What a magical story. I read this together with my nine-year-old grandson who insisted we finish it in one sitting. The story of five puppets – a boy, a girl, a wolf, an owl and a king. The puppets have personalities and want to experience what life would be like if they could actually experience it. Enter an old seafarer, followed by two young girls, one of whom wants to tell their story. Not only did my grandson love it but I loved it as well, proving you don’t have to be a child, teenager or YA to enjoy this heartwarming, wonderful book. The amazing illustrations by Julie Morstad jump from the pages, telling the story not only in words but in pictures. Orlando, SA, 5 Stars
I was fascinated by The Puppets of Spelhorst by Kate DiCamillo. The characters in the story, particularly the wolf and the owl, were my favourite. The children’s puppet show was entertaining with lots of creativity, and I found myself relating to their love for wolves and owls, which happen to be my favourite animals too. This book was a great read, with its shorter chapters adding to its appeal as I have ADHD/Autism. The front cover, though unusual, grabbed my interest. If Kate DiCamillo were to write another book, I’d love to see a story with a dragon, just like Coda was an awesome character. Please, Kate, give us more fun tales! Jaem, aged 12, QLD, 5 Stars
What a delightful book is The Puppets of Spelhorst by Kate DiCamillo. It is a simple yet complex book in that it is ostensibly about five puppets who are bought together as they cannot be separated because they are a part of a story. Each puppet has its own personality and as a reader we are privy to their thoughts and desires. As two little girls become their owners, we see that the story the puppets are a part of come to fruition… and each of the puppets receives exactly what they had hoped for. A truly lovely book that I think young readers would enjoy, and also enjoy being listeners to a reading of it. Denise, NSW, 5 Stars
Initially, I found it hard to get pulled into the story and was wondering how a book of this length about puppets was going to be able to draw me in, but as I got further into the book, a lightbulb moment, and I started to see the ideas the author was trying to portray. For me, although there were other characters in the story, it centred around a set of puppets who had uniquely high dreams for their lives. Whilst these dreams were somewhat individually realised, they were all the while wondering if they would see each other again. Although their dreams were coming true, they also longed for that sense of ‘family’ belonging again. This of course is a great story to pass on to children and subtly instil this idea into their minds at an early age. I am a very visual person, and the illustrations were wonderful to set that visual scene in the reader’s mind. I would recommend this book for young readers as it has that subtle meaning of individuality, chasing your dreams and ‘family’ belonging. Kim, QLD, 5 Stars
I grew up devouring fairy tales so was very excited to read The Puppets of Spelhorst by Kate DiCamillo. It did not disappoint. In my previous life, I was a teacher and I can just imagine reading this tale about five individual yet interdependent puppets to children from eight years of age. I can also hear the classical music playing in the background as the story unfolds. The reader is transported to another time, another land and another dimension through the skillful penmanship of the author, Kate DiCamillo, and through the seemingly simplistic black-and-white illustrations by Julie Morstad. The poignant tale of the owl, boy, girl, king and wolf who are discovered in a toy shop by an old sea captain and their adventures as they await their destinies, unfolds in a lyrical and magical way interspersed with humour and grace. It is a fairytale to savour and to read either alone or to share with generations to come. Susan, NSW, 5 Stars
This book is so cute, enchanting and sweet. I could see what was coming after the (puppet) show, but the actual ending is so lovely… The illustrations are gorgeous and the whole thing is just delightful. I was pleased to see it’s the start of a series, so will have to keep an eye out for the next installment. I absolutely adored it and kids are going to love it too! Ayesha, NSW, 5 Stars
This fantasy novel is intriguing. Five friends are locked in a trunk and seem to all be there for a purpose together. They land on a mantle piece in a home of two girls bonded by their heart’s desires. What a brilliant fantasy novel… Highly recommended. An exciting story to take you away with your heart to fantasy land. Noeleen, WA, 5 Stars
Overall, I really enjoyed The Puppets of Spelhorst by Kate DiCamillo, for its illustrations and how easy it was to read. Mum and I decided that we would put on a little performance ourselves by taking on the voices of the characters. I liked how the author described the characters and that the way they talked matched their personalities. Personally, I really enjoyed reading the wolf as she is quite an impressive character with her big sharp teeth. But this goes for all, because each character had small attributes that made them match who they were and how they were portrayed. The author does a good job of setting the scene and giving you a clear view of what is going on in the story. I also liked how the story switched from the point of view of the puppets to the puppeteers and back again. As a 12-year-old girl, I did enjoy this book, as did my mum, although we both agree that it would also suit a younger audience aged 7-10. Molly, aged 12, VIC, 4 Stars
A beautifully written and illustrated tale. Five forgotten puppets yearning to find a place they belong. Fantastic for bedtime snuggles. Deanne, VIC, 4 Stars
We thought this was a really cool book, not something we had read before. I felt sorry for the Wolf at one stage but I like how the story ended! I wonder what adventures they went on next… Violet, aged 8, WA, 4 Stars
Five puppets carefully created were put together in a large chest. They eventually ended up in a Toy Shop for sale. They were not to be separated as they were part of a story. They passed on to a sailor who fell in love with the girl puppet. After he died, they were bundled back into the trunk and sold to the “Rag and Bone Man”. Finally, they ended up at a house with two young girls. Gemma, aged 12, NSW, 4 Stars
The Puppets of Spelhorst by Kate DiCamillo is a short but nonetheless interesting read. There is no main character, but five puppets, an extremely wise old owl, a thoughtful girl, a boastful king, a wolf obsessed with strength and teeth, and a curious and ever so slightly talkative boy with a bow and a quiver full of arrows. These puppets are part of a story, but they only realize this near the end, when the real story is only beginning. These puppets are tested and owned by a sad sailor who can never accept the truth, a rag-and-bone man, and finally, two girls and their maid. Lost and found, these puppets discover who they are, and help other people to along the way. The Puppets of Spelhorst will open up your eyes, for you never knew they were closed, and make you think about the smaller, simple things that this world entices. I highly recommend this book to all levels of readers, often or occasional readers will enjoy this book either way, especially those aged 8-12. Jake, aged 11, NSW, 4 Stars
Having grown up re-reading Kate’s The Tale of Despereaux, it was a wonderful experience to be able to share another of Kate’s works with my daughter. The Puppets of Spelhorst read like a fairytale, the use of regular illustrations worked to hold my 5-year-old’s attention. The simple use of names repeated made sure to make the story flow without any confusion on her behalf. The smaller-sized chapters also made for an easy read, being able to read a few chapters before bedtime. There were a few more complicated words that were lost on her when telling the story, though did not interrupt the storytelling. A very sweet inspiring story to every child to never not have a dream in life. Sienna, NSW, 4 Stars
The story started off as a bit of a mystery and nothing like I’ve ever read before so I was a little unsure. I’m glad I kept reading though because by the end it all started to make sense and I ended up really enjoying it. Mitchell, aged 11, NSW, 4 Stars
This was a beautifully illustrated fairytale story about five puppets – a boy, a girl, a king, a wolf and an owl. I love fairytales so I was interested to see how this would go. It is told in a simple and spare style, very easy to read. The puppets must not be separated. An old sea captain wants to buy just the girl, but is told that he must buy the whole set because they are “part of a story”. He doesn’t care about the story but this makes us instantly intrigued. What we do find out is that each of the puppets seems to have their own “story” as well as a story together. The puppets are taken to a house where a girl writes a story for them – together. As their story is being written, the puppets talk about their stories – the stories within their hearts. The girl is constantly finding songs. The king is finding out what it is to be a king and he loves songs because he wants to feel his heart break. The wolf treasures her sharp teeth and wants to destroy something. The boy wants to do something special with his life, something wonderful. The owl gives wisdom and wants to fly. Before the real play occurs, each discovers a little about themselves. Even though they are only puppets they have aspirations humans can truly relate to. Then Martha’s play puts them together and they realise that putting a play on is doing something special. I liked to see how the puppets found themselves and the little bits of “worldly wisdom” they found. It was very touching to read about such feelings captured by these characters, like a king who wants his heart to break or a wolf whose teeth were removed. These weren’t overly sentimental but the impact of the scenes was strong. The ending brings this together in true fairytale fashion. It’s put together very nicely and the idea of the puppets and how they are illustrated bring a lovely finishing touch to this. Rebecca, NSW, 4 Stars
Kate DiCamillo has managed to create a tale to appeal to not only our younger generation but to adults as well. Her whimsical characters of the owl, boy, girl, wolf and king draw the reader in and take us along for the ride. I can just imagine children coming up with their own character to add to the tale or perhaps, after reading, creating their own puppet show for the grown-ups in their lives. I particularly enjoyed the illustrations by Julie Morstad as well. Whilst simple, they harmonised with the text and the emotions portrayed added to the magical nature of the book. The Puppets of Spelhorst is a fairytale to be enjoyed from now and far into the future. Jess, aged 8, NSW, 4 Stars
Wow! What a beautifully illustrated story I have fallen in love with. The puppets are beautifully characterised and I especially loved the depth of Wolf’s character and the pompous King who really was a lonely Puppet looking for his ‘family’. This tale would be like a Toy Story but for the older tween or teen fan base. Definitely a loving tale for adult folk too! Let me highly compliment the beauty of the illustrations which engaged and drew you into a world from another time! Thank you for a ‘one of a kind’ preview. Charlotte, aged 10, QLD, 4 Stars
The Puppets of Spelhorst strikes a delicate balance between some complex adult themes and a simple whimsical children’s tale. The story can be enjoyed on both levels and if you enjoyed The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane this is definitely worth a read. I am looking forward to the next installment of this delightful series! Elizabeth, VIC, 4 Stars
At first I didn’t like it that much because there was a lot about selling the puppets. In the middle I liked it a bit and at the end I liked it because it had way more adventure in it. My favorite part was when the puppets went on the camel and traveled the world. The boy was my favourite puppet because he had a bow and arrows. I can imagine the puppets putting on another play for someone they meet on their travels! Lincoln, aged 6, VIC, 3 Stars
I started reading The Puppets of Spelhorst with my 6-year-old son but he was eager to read ahead alone. I think he missed the overall metaphor for life but he came to enjoy the literal or surface story. This is the first time we have reviewed a book like this in tandem and it was such an enjoyable experience – to see how we took different messages from it. The story confused me at times too, so I can see why it would have been difficult for him. He probably doesn’t fall in to the target audience for the book though. While I found the story a little convoluted and didn’t enjoy it so much myself, I took so much delight in watching my son travel through it. When the puppet show started he put down the book, dragged out a mattress on its side and set up his own puppet show with his sister. This is the greatest thing about books – the power to create new worlds. We have a collection of Kate’s books on our shelves and I think it’s time to get in to them! Laura, VIC, 3 Stars
What a strange little story. A children’s book but I’m not sure to what age group it would appeal. A story from the puppet’s point of view, similar to Toy Story, but at the same time completely different. I would recommend reading this title and deciding if it is right for your child, no matter their age. It was sad, mostly, but has a happy(ish) ending. Very easy to read. Fiona, QLD, 3 Stars
The Puppets of Spelhorst by Kate DiCamillo is a delightful fairytale of five puppets and their adventures and dreams. Sold to a rag and bone man when their owner dies, they are eventually bought as a gift for a man’s nieces. Each puppet has its own desires which are achieved although not in the manner they envisaged. As they experience their dreams they each realise how much they miss the other puppets. They become aware of what is truly important in life. What a charming tale of friendship and shared adventures. Ideal for 7–10-year-olds. Annette, aged 9, ACT, 3 Stars
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