The Puppets of Spelhorst

Kate DiCamillo was born on March 25, 1964, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and grew up in Clermont, Florida, after moving there as a child. She obtained a degree in English from the University of Florida and eventually moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota, where she got a job at a book warehouse. After a few years of trying to get published, her first novel, Because of Winn-Dixie (2000), debuted to massive acclaim, and she was able to become a full-time author. Today, she has published 13 novels, numerous early chapter books (including the beloved Mercy Watson series), and several picture books and short stories. She is a two-time Newbery Medal winner for The Tale of Despereaux and Flora and Ulysses and has received a number of other awards, including the Josette Frank Award, the Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children’s Book Award (for Because of Winn Dixie), and the Parents’ Choice Award in 2006.

Some of DiCamillo’s books have been adapted for the stage and screen. Because of Winn Dixie was adapted into a movie in 2005 starring AnnaSophia Robb, Jeff Daniels, Cicely Tyson, Elle Fanning, and Eva Marie Saint. The Tale of Despereaux was released as an animated film in 2008 starring Matthew Broderick, Dustin Hoffman, Sigourney Weaver, and Emma Watson. Flora & Ulysses was adapted to stream on Disney+ in 2021, and The Tiger Rising film was released in 2022. Olivier-winning writer Nell Benjamin (Mean Girls) wrote the lyrics and libretto for a new Because of Winn Dixie musical, with composition by Tony and Grammy Award winner Duncan Sheik (Spring Awakening). In 2019, PigPen Theatre Company (known for their Broadway adaptation of Water for Elephants) debuted their adaptation of The Tale of Despereaux at the Old Globe in San Diego; it later played at Berkeley Repertory Theatre. Playwright Dwayne Hartford adapted The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane into a children’s play, which is available for licensing through Dramatic Publishing.

DiCamillo’s books have been compared to children’s books from the Victorian and Edwardian eras in tone and subject matter (Morris, Linda. “Kate DiCamillo: How She Became a Bestseller After 473 Rejection Letters.” The Sydney Morning Herald, 10 May 2017). Like these works, DiCamillo’s blend whimsy with sadness; her protagonists are often parentless and struggling to find their place in the world. Themes of life, love, and loss are central to her stories, which are read widely in school settings across the United States. The stories generally feature an array of supporting characters who bring different perspectives to light for the protagonist. Many of these characters are older and offer the protagonist wisdom based on the mistakes they’ve made along the way or the things they regret. In turn, the younger protagonist helps the older characters find healing and forgiveness. This is seen in The Puppets of Spelhorst, where a play written by a child deeply moves an elderly woman in the audience and gives Jane the courage to take life into her own hands. The Puppets of Spelhorst is particularly similar to The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, as both books center toys that are passed from one owner to another, their perspectives about the meaning of life changing through these various encounters.