The Spell Tailors by James Nicol

When I see the publisher Chicken House I know the book will be good. This book, The Spell Tailors also has an appealing cover and an intriguing blurb:

Hen dreams of becoming a spell tailor, stitching magic into clothing like his beloved Nana. But thanks to new factories, spell tailors are struggling. His Uncle Bertie’s fancy shop has shut down, and when he, Aunt Lucia and stuck-up cousin Connie move in, it’s a disaster for all the family. Then Hen stumbles upon a new kind of stitch – one which causes Nana and Bertie to ban him from sewing. What is the power of the stitch that can sew memories into clothes – and could it be the very thing to save them all?

I started The Spell Tailors just after lunch yesterday because it was a rainy day and early this morning i finished the whole book because I was so desperate for a happy ending.

Hen is short for Henryton but only his uncle uses this long form of his name. In the world of this book clothing is made by hand and extra special clothes have spells added for things like warmth, fit and to make a good impression. 

Spell stitches could infuse a garment with strange properties, from a summer dress or shirt to keep you cool on a hot day, to a glow stitch that made a garment shimmer and shine like the moon or a starlit night. These wonders and more resided in the Danelli family spell stitches. These were the secrets they brought to their garments – secrets that had secured their business for nearly 400 years. Hen opened the book, turning the cloth pages carefully. The stitches looked like ripples in water, circles within circles. Tilt your head just so and they looked a little like a spider’s web. More stitches connected the circles, like the spokes of a wheel.

Meanwhile there is a woman who has visited their shop. Hen is sure she is intending to bring trouble and this is confirmed when Hen and Connie follow Uncle Bertie to her factory. The scenes there felt like the ones I experienced in books like this:

Bread and Roses too

Counting on Grace

The nasty insect-like creatures Hen encounters when he travels through the memory are sure to remind you of Studio Ghibli films such as Howl's Moving Castle and My Neighbor Totoro.

You can read an extract of The Spell tailors here. And here is the web page for James Nicol. Listen to an audio sample. 

This book could be a terrific family read aloud ages 7-10 or you might listen to the audio version on a long car trip perhaps. There is also an understated message in this story about repairing our clothes not constantly purchasing new ones. 

It’s also nice to see a boy protagonist in this kind of family-focused, believing-in-yourself fantasy! While there’s plenty of excitement, this is generally quite a soft, cosy book, and I like seeing a boy who isn’t forced into a more ‘masculine’ action role, but is allowed to love his grandmother, worry about his friendship with his cousin, and enjoy his art! Hen is lovely, and his kindness, bravery, and perseverance make him a great, gentle role model. A Cat A Book and a Cup of Tea

This post is in memory of my mum who would be turning 103 tomorrow. She taught herself to sew and to use a knitting machine. Her sister and mother were very skilled with sewing and other crafts and I think she felt that she was in their shadow. I desperately wish I had said thank you and wow and well done over and over again when she made me the most gorgeous clothes and I also wish I could turn back time and take photos of so many of my favourites such as the orange paisley pant suit; my Heidi dress with the eyelet thread holes; the cream and red check dress with the patent leather belt; the beautiful pale green French wool machine knitted jumper; and the red dress with button front and circle skirt. If you are reading this - thanks mum.