THE HOTEL BALZAAR (The Norendy Tales), by Kate DiCamillo and Júlia Sardà, Candlewick, Oct. 1, 2024, Hardcover, $17.99 (ages 7-10)
A young girl gets swept up in stories told by a mysterious countess in The Hotel Balzaar, a middle-grade novel by Kate DiCamillo.
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? —Synopsis provided by Candlewick
Kate DiCamillo is a master storyteller. She knows her audience, and she never underestimates it. That’s just one of the reasons why The Hotel Balzaar is worth reading.
The Hotel Balzaar is the second book in DiCamillo’s Norendy Tales — a trio of novels bound by place and mood. And like the first book — The Puppets of Spelhorst — it’s fantastic. Both books stand alone in content but are connected through tone.
The charming tale follows Marta as she tries to remain invisible in a hotel full of colorful characters.
DiCamillo’s use of stories within stories sounds complicated, but plays out with ease. Her pacing is perfect and her prose accessible. And paired with Júlia Sardà’s beautiful line art, this story shines.
At 160 pages and featuring short chapters, The Hotel Balzaar is a great option for less confident readers. That said, the content will appeal even the most advanced audience. It would be a fun classroom read or would make an excellent addition to any home library.
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