Finding hope amid loss

The Puppets of Spelhorst

Kate DiCamillo
(Candlewick 2023)

DiCamillo’s latest offering, the first in the planned Norendy Tales trilogy, tells the story of five special puppets, which illustrator Julie Morstad delightfully brings to life. While each puppet has hopes and dreams for its future, they recognize that together they are part of a bigger story. This bond is tested when circumstances pull them apart, but after the puppets reunite, they fulfill their purpose playing their parts in the puppet show. Families may want to filter through a Biblical lens some of the book’s statements about purpose, while using the story as a springboard to discuss how we as Christ-followers are all part of a larger redemption story in which we are called to fulfill unique roles. Ages 7-10

Out of the Shadow World

Colleen Chao
(Moody 2023)

Pax wishes he could play with his best friend Jayni like he used to—before cancer sapped Pax’s energy and ­saddled him with a ­turbulent stomach and persistent cough. When the two friends find a secret passageway to what seems like an alternate world, Pax hesitates until he hears that it could lead to a healing man. They find that the healing man—sometimes called the Great Lord—also knows suffering, and while he doesn’t give them all the answers they had hoped for, he assures them that they will one day return to be with him forever. Author Colleen Chao’s personal battle with cancer gives greater depth to Pax and Jayni’s griefs and disappointments and their hope amid the journey. Ages 8-12

When Sea Becomes Sky

Gillian McDunn
(Bloomsbury 2023)

What was supposed to be an ordinary summer on Pelican Island becomes anything but after Bex and her younger brother Davey discover a statue in their beloved salt marsh. As they try to unravel the mystery of how the statue came to be there, they are dismayed to learn that developers have big plans for a bridge to the island that will destroy their special spot. Rather than seek help from caring adults, however, Bex relies only on Davey to try to save the statue and salt marsh, and subtle clues lead to a heartbreaking plot twist. This book is a tender story about sibling bonds, grief, and coming to terms with change. Ages 9-12

The One and Only Ruby

Katherine Applegate
(HarperCollins 2023)

Ruby the elephant dreads her upcoming “Tuskday,” a rite of passage that reminds her of the reason poachers killed her mother and other elephants in her native Africa. Now ensconced in a zoo, Ruby no longer has any reason to fear poachers. But while captivity brings safety, it also ­limits her freedom and reminds her of her losses. Despite her bumbling attempts to avoid her Tuskday, Ruby eventually realizes she still has a lot to be thankful for, including the zoo elephant herd that genuinely cares for her. Although this reviewer has not read Applegate’s earlier books about Ruby’s friends, fans may be disappointed that this book comes across a bit boring as it meanders along, intertwining a conservationist agenda. Ages 8-11