Lost Evangeline by Kate Di Camillo illustrated by Sophie Blackall

"The shoemaker and his wife had no children, and they had long given up hoping for them. And so it seemed an entirely miraculous thing when one day, the cobbler sat down to work on repairing an old boot and found, hidden in its squared-off toe, 

an extremely small child."

No one comes back to claim the boots or the child. The shoemaker creates tiny clothes, shoes, furniture and a miniature ship's lantern and he names her Evangeline but his wife does not like the child. 

The small ship's lantern "was surely the shoemaker's finest creation. It was accurate in every detail, smaller than a thimble, and painted bright red. Within the lamp waws a wick of fabric that could be raised and lowered with a small knob, and the lamp, when it was lit, gave off a steady, gentle light."

Reader I need to take a small detour at this point and draw your attention to the word placement in this sentence - think about those words - steady and gentle. As with all good stories we know something is sure to happen - will this lamp help young Evangeline when she is faced with great danger? Of course you may have already anticipated this from the title.

Long ago the shoemaker dreamed of a life filled with adventure, of journeys to far away lands on ships that anchor in the harbor. Evangeline does not grow bigger, but she does become a wonderful daughter to the shoemaker and together they watch the ships and talk of future adventures, but the shoemaker knows there could be danger if Evangeline is discovered. He keeps her well-hidden and makes sure she knows how to hide if a customer enters his store - the door hinge is rusty and the sound alerts Evangeline that she must 'make herself disappear'. I actually gasped when the shoemaker's wife oiled the hinges:

"And so, without telling her husband, the shoemaker's wife oiled the hinges on the door ... She opened the door and closed it again and the hinges made no sound at all."

Meanwhile in a different part of the town an elderly rich widow has a dream about some fabulous shoes that will grant immortality. Oh no are you following along with this story - we have some dangerous ingredients here - jealousy, pride, greed, and the desire for immortality. Surely little Evangeline is heading towards a disaster.

The rich widow Mrs Penrith-Smith sends her servant to visit the cobbler BUT of course the door longer alerts Evangeline to hide and so she is seen by the aptly named Gristle. He takes the news of the tiny girl back to his mistress.

"I think I understand now ... the dream of the shoes was merely a vehicle. The dream served to bring you to the cobbler's so that you might see this wonder. The shoes are not the point. I will have her come here and sing to me, and then I will get better. Her song will cure me ... I will have her."

And so the adventures begin. Yes, Evangeline is stolen; she escapes; she persuades a huge ginger cat to help her; she is stolen again by a truly despicable man; and then she finds a friend and a way to fulfill the dream she shared with her father.  So many twists and turns and all in just 152 pages.

"The cat had seen the girl of course. That little morsel of humanity had led her to the sea, to this wondrous place she had not even known existed. And, too, the cat knew exactly what had become of Evangeline. She had witnessed her demise. ... The cat recognised the man for what he was: a predator. ... She had watched as he captured the girl, watched as a single tiny shoe went flying through the air and landed on a rock."

Before or perhaps after you read Lost Evangeline it would be good to revisit classic fairy tales - The Eves and the Shoemaker and also Thumbelina. You might also think of Pinocchio and Snow White. I read one Good Readers review that said "This (book) had all the whimsy and heartbreak of a Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale."

Author blurb: When a shoemaker discovers a tiny girl (as small as a mouse!) in his shop, he takes her in, names her Evangeline, and raises her as his own. The shoemaker’s wife, however, fears that Evangeline has bewitched her husband, so when an opportunity arises to rid herself of the girl, she takes it. Evangeline finds herself far from her adopted father and her home, a tiny girl lost in the wide world. But she is brave, and she is resourceful, and with the help of those she meets on her journey — including a disdainful and self-satisfied cat — she may just find her way again. Kate DiCamillo

This is the third Norendy Tale and it is the one I loved the best but be warned this tale does not quite have that all important or expected happy ending although I am sure all readers will be able to imagine one. Kirkus explain this:

In true DiCamillo fashion, the ending is suffused with the gentlest melancholy, allowing readers to either believe in their reunion or dismiss it entirely. ...  There are no easy answers in a Norendy tale, but there is great courage, even when it comes in the smallest of packages.

Readers who aren’t used to a story with an ambiguous ending may feel cheated by the lack of an on-page reunion, but upon reflection, they will likely see how it is exactly the right end for such a dreamy little novel that prioritizes the whimsical vibes of Norendy over answering every question raised within it. Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

The feeling of a fairy tale is enhanced by the very atmospheric illustrations which show the spirals of song which weave their way through the story right to the end. Although there is no instant happy ending with father and daughter reunited once more, it is through the final illustration which the reader is left with a thread of hope that this might yet happen. Through the Bookshelf

Here is a link to a set of discussion questions from the publisher.

I do need to mention the rich vocabulary you will encounter in this book. Here are a few examples: misspoke, due haste, marooned, morsel, modicum of alacrity, vermin, scrutinized, treachery, intercede, consumed, dolt, somber, and penury.

Each of the Norendy Tales features a different, fabulous illustrator. This one is Sophie Blackall. Previously we had Julia Sarda and Julie Morstad. It would be so special to display all three of these on your family bookshelves.

The Puppets of Spelhorst

The Hotel Balzaar

The Hotel Balzaar by Kate DiCamillo illustrated by Julia Sarda

Begin here with this audio sample from chapter one. When you listen, you will hear the delicious language choices used by master storyteller Kate DiCamillo - beguiling brilliance, the porcelain of the skink, overstuff sofas strewn with cushions of green and gold, the room was fille to overflowing with light almost as if someone were ... pouring molten gold, perpetually occupied. 

Marta and her mother live in the attic of the Hotel Balzaar.

"And on the dresser was her mother's brush, and beside that was an envelope that was stained and worn smooth from handling. Marta's mother's name was written on the envelope - Elena Buchelli. And below her name was Marta's name - Marta Buchelli. The exact words Marta's father had written on the envelope were: And Marta Buchelli too, of course. How Marta loved those words: of course. Of course."

"It had been over a year since they had heard anything from her father. In the meantime, Marta and her mother had moved from one place to another, trying to survive."

 There are hints in the story that her mother, who works as a maid, is not really allowed to have her child living with her. Her father is missing. All Marta has that worn out letter. Almost every day her mother instructs Marta:

"You must be quiet, quiet, Marta. Like a mouse. Do not let yourself me charmed ... 'Say you understand, Marta,' said her mother. 'I understand,' said Marta. But she did not understand. She did not understand at all."

Marta lives in a small world. There is their attic room and the one hundred and twenty-eight stairs, the hotel lobby with a clock that has a cat chasing a mouse and a painting which seems to have one wing that looks like an angel. The hotel doorman Norman does acknowledge and talk to Marta but the receptionist Alphonse pretends she does not exist. Then one day a mysterious guest arrives at the hotel. 

"Right before the clock struck noon, there was a commotion in the lobby. A gust of cold air entered, and with it came an old woman dressed in red - red shoes, a red hat and a red dress. She was leaning on a cane, and on her should there perched a massive green-feathered parrot."

Marta will now break all her mother's rules because the old woman, who calls herself a Countess, invites Marta to come to her room. Marta meets her parrot named Blitzkoff. The Countess says he can speak but Marta never hears him instead the Countess tells Marta a series of six stories. At first it seems these stories are unconnected, and they all seem to be unresolved, but Marta listens carefully and you, the reader, will read carefully, because there are connections that can be made here, and the final untold story will be the most important one of all. 

Readers, too, will enjoy piecing together the connections among the stories and will be encouraged to seek deeper truths about people and the world around them. ... A delightful, thoughtful escape to a magical world. Kirkus

I am not sure I would use The Hotel Balzaar for a classroom study - it feels like such a personal reading experience but if you skim through these teachers notes from the publisher you will gain more insights into the plot and you will see some of the glorious art by Julia Sarda. If you are looking for a present for a keen reader aged 9+ pop this book onto your list - the hardcover edition with a dust jacket would be a very special gift. 

The setting for this heartfelt story is not specified but it feels like a European city and a time perhaps fifty or more years ago. This is the second of a planned set of three books or novellas called Norendy Tales. I previously talked about The Puppets of Spelhorst. The third book will be released next year. I love the way each book features a different illustrator - book one Julie Morstad; book two Julia Sarda. I wonder who will illustrate the third Norendy Tale? Every school and public library should add this set of books to their collection alongside EVERY book by Kate DiCamillo (you probably already know I am a huge fan). Here is a long video interview where you can hear Kate talk about her book. Read this review.

The Puppets of Spelhorst

The Hotel Balzaar uses the Countess for her storytelling prowess, consolidating all stories into her character. The Puppets of Spelhorst, in contrast, integrates a multitude of characters to tell stories. Even with these two different story telling mechanisms, the story within a story pattern is consistent between the two Norendy Tales. Both feature a plot arc stretched out from story to story to story, all culminating in one fell swoop with heartwarming endings. This strategy is extremely tricky to execute, particularly for the short format of middle grade reading material. The ease with which DiCamillo whips out these two editions reinforces why DiCamillo is the supremely successful queen of this genre ... In both of these books the illustrations are abundant and add intrigue and depth to the telling of the story; both the narrative and the images pull equal weight. Both titles, it’s safe to say, are true reader delights. New York Journal of Books