The Hotel Balzaar (The Norendy Tales #2)
by Kate DiCamillo (Author) Júlia Sardà (Illustrator)
In a wise and magical follow-up to The Puppets of Spelhorst, Kate DiCamillo revisits the land of Norendy, where tales swirl within tales--and every moment is a story in the making.
At the Hotel Balzaar, Marta's mother rises before the sun, puts on her uniform, and instructs Marta to roam as she will but quietly, invisibly--like a little mouse. While her mother cleans rooms, Marta slips down the back staircase to the grand lobby to chat with the bellman, study the painting of an angel's wing over the fireplace, and watch a cat chase a mouse around the face of the grandfather clock, all the while dreaming of the return of her soldier father, who has gone missing. One day, a mysterious countess with a parrot checks in, promising a story--in fact, seven stories in all, each to be told in its proper order. As the stories unfold, Marta begins to wonder: could the secret to her father's disappearance lie in the countess's tales?
Book two in a trio of novellas bound by place and mood--with elegant line art by Júlia Sardà--The Hotel Balzaar masterfully juggles yearning and belief, shining light into every dark corner.
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School Library Journal
Gr 2-5--A return to Norendy in this enchanting follow-up to The Puppets of Spelhorst. At the Hotel Balzaar, every day is the same for Marta. While her mother works as a cleaner, Marta quietly and invisibly explores. She enjoys chatting with the bellman, watching the cat and mouse run in circles on the grandfather clock, and daydreaming in front of the painting over the fireplace featuring a single angel's wing. Her explorations just barely take her mind off of her father, a soldier who's been missing for over a year. One day, a glamorous and mysterious countess checks into the hotel with her parrot, and Marta's days find new excitement. The countess has stories to share, but these often leave Marta with more questions than answers. She begins to wonder: is the mystery of her father hidden within these tales? Will she ever see him again? Marta must simply listen patiently to find out. This second entry in DiCamillo's "Norendly Tales" trilogy features charming black-and-white drawings from Sardà that bring the magic to life. Tied to the first volume with shared themes of love and loss, hope and despair, and darkness and light, this original fairy tale tells its own unique story, ultimately leaving readers with a hopeful message that "there must be more light." VERDICT Just as endearing as the first book, this follow-up is sure to leave readers eager for the next volume. Enthusiastically recommended for libraries everywhere.--Elizabeth Blake
Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
Publishers Weekly
While white-cued Marta Buchelli's mother works as a maid in the Hotel Balzaar, Marta ponders the art in the hotel's once grand lobby, yearns for her soldier father's return, and stays out of sight and quiet as a mouse. Despite her efforts, she is noticed by a countess accompanied by green-feathered parrot Blitzkoff ("once a man who was a very great general"). The countess invites Marta to her room, where the adult regales the child with seven tales that contain details and phrases that spark recognition in Marta. Some of the stories seem to be about the countess herself, while others recount Blitzkoff's apparent past as a circus performer; all pay reverence to the power of light to turn the world "into a mellow, forgiving place," reminding Marta of the words in her father's last letter: "Tell me where you see the light seep through." In this follow-up to The Puppets of Spelhorst, DiCamillo showcases the capacity for storytelling to soothe and inspire hope in a pithy, nuanced tale peppered with gentle humor and enduring grace. Striking illustrations by Sardà (Godfather Death) recall woodcutting and elegant art deco line art. Ages 7-10. (Oct.)
Copyright 2024 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.
Hornbook
The total effect is generous, rich, and inviting.
JUV013060 - Juvenile Fiction | Family | Parents
JUV075000 - Juvenile Fiction | War & Military
