Welcome to Litsy!

I wanted to squeeze in one more #AuldLangSpine book, and I was so excited this was on @BarbaraJean ‘s list. True story: I chose to meet DiCamillo over Judy Blume (they were signing at the same time, and I had such a book hangover from reading The Tale of Despereaux).

I loved this one! Lots of fun quotes that remind one to keep hope and that love endures. It‘s sentimental and magical, and the illustrations by Sarda are exquisite.

So lovely!

This was a good old-fashioned type of children's story. As a read aloud it would be fantastic! The pace was a bit slow and the stories felt a bit disjointed for the independent reader.

Okay, when is the next Norendy Tale going to be available?! My kids and I whip through these magical books by the incomparable Kate DiCamillo. We love them so.

I‘m not convinced the Norendy Tales are for children nor am I unconvinced. I could see them being just as soon discarded for being confusing (and sad) as I could see them being treasured despite the confusion (and perhaps because they are a little melancholy). Regardless, they are for me. This installment reminds me of Leonard Cohen‘s Anthem: “Ring the bells that still can ring /Forget your perfect offering/ There is a crack…👇🏻

“It takes no courage at all to doubt, Marta,” she said. “And we are not beyond rescue. We are never beyond rescue.”

“There are days,” said the countess as she put on a hat that featured a yellow bird, “when the soul can be rescued from despair by the right hat. Although some days, of course the soul seems beyond rescue, and then there is nothing to do except to be patient and wait for the light to return, with or without a hat upon your head.”

This, thought Marta, is one of those days.

Pay attention, my love. Note everything for me. Tell me where you see the light seep through.

I love Kate DiCamillo so, so much. This is another book I want to hug.

Marta‘s mother is a maid at the Hotel Balzaar, and Marta must spend her days staying quiet and invisible, certainly not bothering any of the hotels‘ guests. Until a countess and her parrot arrive and the countess singles Marta out to tell her a series of stories—each to be told in its proper order, at the proper time. ⤵️

“You are so concerned with how things end! It is wearisome, this obsession of yours. Don‘t you understand that nothing ever truly ends?”

“…life will never allow itself to be straightened, and it will drive you mad, a little, if you keep trying to straighten it. …Life always wins. Life and its crooked lines will always win.”