The Hotel Balzaar Review

                                        

(Made in Canva by me. Photo of book found on Google Images)

Note: this is the second book in the Norendy Tales series, the first book being The Puppets of Spelhorst, which I read and reviewed last year. You can read that review here.

Yes, another great Kate DiCamillo book!

The Hotel Balzaar is set in a hotel and follows a girl named Marta and her mother, who is a worker at the hotel. Marta's mother always tells her to stay out of trouble and stay of of sight. Marta usually entertains herself talking to the doorman, looking at a painting of an angel, and watching a grandfather clock with a cat chasing a mouse on it. All the while, she wonders when her father will return from the war going on in the background. 

One day, a mysterious old woman and her pet parrot come to stay at the hotel, and Marta takes a liking to her. The old woman entertains Marta by telling her stories that are all interconnected with each other, and from there, little by little, things start to change for Marta.

 

Yup, another whimsical little story that celebrates the art of storytelling in general. You already know I gave it 5 stars!